HE didn't live to tell the story! He was sent to an early grave in his earnest and honest attempt to be crowned the head of his community.
There was nothing wrong with his effort to be crowned as the village head of Sang in Bogoro Local Government Area of Bauchi State.
But those opposed to the rulership of Apollos Danlami, a 70-year-old man, had a different view of his ambition. While the Danlami was dreaming and planning to be formally installed as the village head in line with the customs and traditions of his community, those who had a different idea and aspiration, were also plotting to stall his installation. Something went wrong in the process and consumed his precious life, throwing everyone in the community into mourning. In the event the planned coronation ceremony was botched!
Arewa Voice found out that the village head title had, up until now, rotated between the two clans, Sansi and Munganushi, which make up the Sang village. Moreover, Danlami, who is of the Sang clan, became the village head and was to be crowned before he was killed in an inter-clan clash by youths of the Munganushi clan. It was learned that trouble started when one of the sons of a village head mobilised youths from his clan and assaulted the rival clan, which led to people sustaining various degrees of injuries and the destruction of properties worth millions of naira.
An eyewitness, who identified herself as Susan, told Arewa Voice that the crisis broke out when the Munganushi people protested against the coronation of Danlami because they felt it was their turn to produce the village head. She said that her father ran several kilometres to save his life before finding a ride to Bauchi, where he has been resting since the crisis broke out in the area. "My father has been in Bauchi since that crisis happened in my village. He ran for so several hours before finally getting a car to Bauchi. My mother ran with her sisters and some children to the hills, where they spent the night. Although peace has been restored in the village by policemen who intervened, normal life is still not what we can dream of in the near future because there is still apprehension in the air. The truth is that we are brothers and sisters; I can't understand why we should let something like this divide us," she said.
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Reacting, the Police Public Relations Officer of Bauchi Command, Ahmed Wakil, confirmed that a 70-year-old victim was killed while a certain Naemiya Bature and some other people were injured in the fracas. He said that the irate youths set ablaze 64 houses, three motorcycles, and properties worth millions of naira. "On April 15, 2023, at about 1900 hrs, the Bauchi State Police Command received a distress call over ongoing skirmishes in the Bogoro area of the state. Preliminary investigation reveals that the communal clash in Sang village of Bogoro LGA emanated from the coronation of the Hamlet Head of Sang. One person by the name of Apollos Danlami, 70, was killed in the incident, while Naemiya Bature, 65, and some other people were injured in the fracas. The command deployed police operatives comprising tactical teams, a rapid response squad, and Operation Restore Peace who swiftly responded to the distress call and their efforts brought the situation under control," he said.
The PPRO noted that the area is now relatively peaceful as security measures have been reinforced in and around Bogoro. He stated that the CP had directed Bogoro DPO to commence a discrete investigation in earnest to unravel the circumstances that led to the unrest.
