By Emmanuel Nduka
As insecurity escalates in parts of North Central Nigeria, Emirs of Suleja in Niger State and Birnin Gwari in Kaduna State, have reportedly abandoned their duty posts, and moved to London to cool off.
A picture posted by former Senator representing Kaduna Central, Shehu Sani on his Twitter page, showed both Monarchs dressed in casual outfits, with the caption: “Emir of Suleja, Niger State and Emir of Birnin Gwari, Kaduna State; in London”.
Meanwhile, their vacation may not be unconnected to the rising spate of kidnapping for ransom by armed bandits, a development which has mostly targeted traditional rulers in the region.
Last week, a traditional ruler, the Dodo of Wawa, Wawa District, in Borgu Local Government area of Niger State, Dr. Mahmoud Ahmed Aliyu, was kidnapped by armed bandits.
A source in the palace said heavily armed kidnappers broke into the palace around 9pm and took the traditional ruler away.
Earlier in March this year, security agencies in Kaduna State confirmed that the vehicle belonging to the Emir of Birnin Gwari, Alhaji Zubairu Jibril Mai Gwari II, was shot at by bandits along the Kaduna-Birnin Gwari highway.
According to the reports, the official vehicle of the Emir was shot at by bandits around the Zonkoro axis of the road, within Chikun Local Government Area.
Luckily for the Monarch, he was in the state capital at the time, with only his driver, Umar Jibrin, and an orderly, Inspector Sani Yahaya, in the vehicle at the time of the attack.
Also, President Muhammadu Buhari recently felicitated with the Emir of Suleja, Alhaji Mohammed Awwal Ibrahim, on the occasion of his 80th birthday.
The President, in a release issued last Tuesday by his Media Adviser, Femi Adesina, joined family and friends to celebrate with the traditional ruler as he turned an octogenarian on September 8, 2021.
