Assault on councillor: Group commends Gombe gov for sacking violent SSAs

Gombe State Governor, Muhammadu Yahaya. Photo: Gombe State House.

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An advocacy group, the Gombe State Citizens Investigative Platform, has commended Governor Muhammadu Yahaya for sacking four of his Senior Special Assistants over their involvement in the assault of a serving councillor.

The commendation followed a viral video that showed an aide to the governor, Adamu Danko, physically assaulting the councillor representing Shamaki Ward, Abdulrahman Sheriff, an incident that sparked widespread public outrage and condemnation.

In response to the incident, the governor, on Tuesday, acted on the recommendations of an investigative committee by sacking four of his aides linked to the assault.

The affected aides are: Adamu Abdullahi Danko (Senior Special Assistant II, Domestic), Garba Mohammed Mai Rago (Senior Special Assistant II, Political), Rabiu Abubakar (Senior Special Assistant II – Social Media) and Ali Kaya – Senior Special Assistant II, Community Relations).

Reacting to the development in a statement signed on Wednesday by its leader, Ibrahim Wala, the group described the sack of the aides as a strong demonstration of leadership and commitment to the rule of law.

The group said the governor had shown a rare “listening ear” and a firm resolve to protect democratic values and the rule of law.

According to the statement, the governor’s action went beyond disciplining erring aides, noting that it helped preserve the image of Gombe State and curbed the culture of impunity.

“This action does more than just punish misconduct; it saves the image of Gombe State from the stain of impunity and positions the governor as a leader worthy of international recognition,” the statement read.

However, GOCIP cautioned that deeper issues needed to be addressed to prevent a recurrence of such incidents.

“However, as we celebrate this victory for justice, we must address the root rather than just the branches. It is a known political reality that the foot soldiers of thuggery often draw their audacity from ‘political lurkers’, highly placed individuals close to the seat of power who may have lacked a political base in Gombe for decades, only to reappear and attempt to build structures through shortcuts and intimidation,” the group said.

GOCIP further questioned the credibility of some political appointees within the system, “We must question the authenticity of certain appointees who seemingly ‘appointed themselves’ and pushed for the empowerment of these dismissed aides to control and intimidate senior colleagues,” the statement added.

The group said Governor Yahaya had shown the courage to “prune the tree” of his administration and urged him to take further steps.

“We urge him now to look deeper into the shadows at those who recruited these elements. By continuing to choose the plight of his subjects over the interests of power-hungry lurkers, the Governor is not just securing Gombe; he is building a national profile,” he said.

The group also linked the governor’s actions to broader national leadership qualities.

“History shows that a leader who can successfully sanitise his own house and uphold the dignity of the common man is often the one the nation calls upon for the highest ticket in Nigeria.

“We thank His Excellency for this decisive start and look forward to a system completely purged of those who mistake public service for private tyranny,” the statement added.

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