Bello Matawalle

Bello Matawalle, the Minister of State for Defence, has condemned the killing of Isa Bawa, the Head of Gatawa District in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State.

He described the murder as heinous, senseless and unacceptable.

Bawa was kidnapped alongside his son and six others in July while travelling from Sokoto to Sabon Birni near the Niger border.

The team sent to deliver the ransom demanded by the bandits met Bawa’s corpse.

Before his death, a video of the 74-year-old monarch appealing for his release from the hands of his abductors went viral last Saturday.

A statement by the Ministry of Defence’s Director of Information and Public Relations, Henshaw Ogubike, noted that the minister condemned the death of the district head and ordered the Chief of Defence Staff, Christopher Musa, to go after the monarch’s killers.

He said, “The Minister of State for Defence has strongly condemned the brutal killing of the Head of Gatawa District in Sabon Birni Local Government Area of Sokoto State, Alhaji Isa Bawa, describing it as heinous and unacceptable.

“Consequent to this, Matawalle has directed the Chief of Defence Staff to immediately launch a thorough investigation into the incident and ensure that the perpetrators are brought to justice.”

Matawalle noted that security is one of the top agenda of President Bola Tinubu and he has been giving full support to the military.

He assured the public that the Armed Forces would leave no stone unturned in fishing out the perpetrators of this heinous crime and bringing them to justice.

“We will continue to work tirelessly to ensure the safety and security of all Nigerians,” Matawalle said.

The minister also expressed his condolences to the family of the late district head, the people of Gatawa, and the Sokoto State Government.