Turbaning: Zamfara emirate begged me to receive title — Notorious bandit, Ado Aleru

The notorious bandit, Ado Aleru, who was crowned as Sarkin Fulani, in Yantodo Emirate of Zamfara State, on Sunday, said he did not beg for the title bestowed on him by the Zamfara State Emirate Council.

NewsWireNGR reported that the bandit kingpin was turbaned as Sarkin Fulani (The King of Fulani) of Yandoton Daji Emirate in the State in a bid to forestall attacks by non-state armed groups on the Emirate.

The event took place around 3:30 WAT Saturday 16, July 2022. 

“I Aliyu Garba Marafa, the first Emir of Yandoto, do hereby confer and declare Ado Aleru as the new Sarkin Fulanin Yandoton Daji in accordance with the cultural requirements of the Emirate. 

“Your appointment and subsequent turbaning today is in line with the demand for peace and reconciliation efforts highly needed for our people in our Emirate, Tsafe local government area, Zamfara State and Nigeria as a whole,” Emir Marafa declared. 

The state government following media cricitism of the action suspended the Emir.

Speaking with Deutche Welle (D.W) Radio on Sunday, Aleru who has been on the police wanted list for kidnapping and killing of innocent citizens said he did not beg for the title, but that the community deemed it fit.

According to him, “Honestly I didn’t solicit for the title, I was summoned by the Emirate, which initially, I rejected it.”

“After consultations with our leaders over the development, they suggested that I shouldn’t turn down the offer since the new emir insisted it had to happen in his emirate; that was how I accepted it,” he said

He also denied being the mastermind of killing of over 100 people in Kadisau village in Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State, adding that he did not know the person responsible for the attack.

Meanwhile, the Zamfara state governor, Bello Matawalle, has barred all traditional rulers in the state from conferring traditional titles without government clearance.

The state police command had clarified that the notorious bandit leader, is still on its wanted list.

Gambo Isah, the spokesman for the command explained that the command had declared Aleru wanted for crimes such as culpable homicide, terrorism, armed robbery, and kidnapping in Katsina.

Aleru, according to him, is also wanted for the killing of over 100 residents of Kadisau village in Faskari Local Government Area of the state.