Letter appointing suspected gunrunner as Zamfara gov aide forged – State govt

Letter appointing suspected gunrunner as Zamfara gov aide forged – State govt

Zamfara State Government has said a suspected gunrunner linked with the Governor Dauda Lawal as his aide is unknown to the state government.

It therefore said a letter purportedly issued to the suspect Bashir Hadeija appointing him as the governor’s aide was forged.

Bashir Hadejia was recently arrested on charges of gunrunning and smuggling large caches of weapons.

Hadejia is currently in custody, facing multiple charges, including aiding terrorism, money laundering, and other transnational crimes.

He was alleged to have played a major role in sponsoring protests, attacks, and blackmailing politicians and officials across northern Nigeria.

Allegations have emerged suggesting that Hadejia was an appointee of the Zamfara State Government, a claim the government has denied.

In a letter that surfaced on the Facebook, dated October 27, 2023, and purportedly signed by Mal Abubakar M. Nakwada, the Secretary to the Zamfara State Government, Hadejia was appointed as the Technical Adviser, Mining, under the Office of the Executive Governor.

The letter read, “I am pleased to inform you that His Excellency the Governor of Zamfara State, Dauda Lawal, has approved your appointment at Government House…based on recognition of your experience, competence, and dedication to duty.”

Zamfara govt denies Hadejia

A source at the State House in Zamfara however said the document was forged and that the suspect was not known to the state government.

“This document does not exist in the Zamfara State government’s records. It is a mischievous attempt by some political rivals to link my principal with the Hadejia saga,” the source stated in a WhatsApp message quoted by Pulse.