In the wake of the brutal murder of Isa Muhammad Bawa, the district head of Gatawa, Sokoto State has been plunged into unrest, prompting the Sokoto State Police Command to enforce a curfew in Sabon Birni town, located in the Sabon Birni Local Government Area. The curfew, which restricts movement from six in the morning to six in the evening, will remain in effect until further notice.
ASP Ahmed Rufa’i, the spokesperson for the Sokoto State Police Command, confirmed the imposition of the curfew as a necessary measure to restore law and order in the area. The decision follows a series of violent protests by local youths, who took to the streets in response to the district head’s assassination.
Hundreds of young protesters ignited bonfires and blocked several major roads, creating chaos and prompting swift action by security forces. The unrest escalated as the protesters attacked and set fire to the local government secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and a courtroom. Additionally, they raided a local government store, causing significant damage to fertilizer supplies stored there.
Turakin Gobir, the son of the deceased district head, reported that security forces had been reinforced in the area in an attempt to control the situation. Despite the heavy security presence, the protests continued late into the evening, with gunfire heard throughout the day. As of 8 p.m., the curfew had not yet fully taken effect, indicating the level of tension and resistance among the protesters.
The protesters, enraged by the murder, demanded that those responsible for the killing of their district head face justice. They called for a thorough investigation into the incident and urged the federal government to look into what they described as a politically motivated assassination. The demonstrators accused certain politicians of being complicit in the murder, based on information they claimed to have received from the late district head himself.
In a brief video clip that has since gone viral, Kabiru Isa, the recently freed son of the murdered district chief, accused a member of the Sokoto State House of Assembly of orchestrating his father’s kidnapping, further fueling the protesters’ anger and demands for accountability.
The community was further shaken as thousands of mourners gathered on Thursday to attend a special burial prayer for Isa Muhammad Bawa. The prayer was led by the Sabon Birni Chief Imam, Imam Dahiru, who offered solemn words to comfort the grieving community.
The killing of the district head has not only left a deep wound in the Gatawa community but has also ignited fears of a broader conflict in the region. The violence and unrest in Sabon Birni are a stark reminder of the fragile security situation in parts of Sokoto State, where political tensions and criminal activities often intersect with devastating consequences.
The Sokoto State government has pledged to conduct a full investigation into the murder and the subsequent violence, promising that all those involved will be held accountable. As the community grapples with the loss of a beloved leader, there is growing concern that the situation could escalate if swift and decisive action is not taken to address the underlying issues that led to this tragedy.
