Bauchi State Government has taken legal action against former Speaker of the House of Representatives, Yakubu Dogara; and 28 others following the violence that occurred during the 21st memorial anniversary of Sayawa nation leader and crusader, Peter Gonto, in Bogoro and Tafawa Balewa local government areas.
The government filed an 11-count charge against them bordering on conspiracy, disturbing public peace, mischief by fire and culpable homicide at the State High Court.
Reports say about three persons died in the incident while property were burnt.
Dogara, who represents Bogoro/Dass/Tafawa Balewa federal constituency in the House of Representatives, had allegedly written to the director-general of Department of State Security (DSS) and the inspector general of police, warning of an impending security threat if the anniversary was allowed to hold.
However, among the charges obtained by the news media on Friday, the state government alleged that the defendants conspired among themselves to cause bodily harm to people in the area in order to frustrate the progress of the memorial anniversary.
Some of the charges read: “That you Rt Hon Yakubu Dogara — on or about the 29th, 30 and/or 31st day of December 2021 agreed to do or cause to be done an illegal act to wit: you conspired amongst yourselves and others at large to incite the youths of Tafawa Balewa and Bogoro towns to disturb public peace by burning people’s houses, blocking access roads, physically attacking invited guests and other participants attending the 21 year memorial anniversary and book launch of late Baba Peter Gonto at Bogoro town and destroy and burn all facilities provided for the occasion, thereby committed offence contrary to Section 96 and punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code Law of Bauchi State.
“On or about the 29th, 30th and/or 31st day of December 2021 agreed to do or cause to be done an illegal act to wit: you conspired amongst yourselves and others at large to commit the offence mischief by fire by burning people’s houses in Tafawa Balewa and Bogoro To during the 21″year memorial anniversary and book launch of late Baba Peter Gonto at Bogoro town and to destroy and burn all facilities provided for the occasion, thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 96 and punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code Law of Bauchi State.
“On or about the 29th,30th and/or 31st day of December 2021 agreed to do or cause to be done an illegal act to wit: you conspired amongst yourselves and others at large to commit the offence of culpable homicide during the 21 year memorial anniversary and book launch of late Baba Peter Gonto at Bogoro town and that you thereby committed an offence contrary to Section 96 punishable under Section 97 of the Penal Code Law of Bauchi State.”
