Adamawa Riot: Angry youths set District Head’s office, Magistrate Court ablaze

With the chant of Allahu akbar (God is great) more than 300 angry youths burnt down the offices of the head office of Jimeta District and a Magistrate Court in Yola, Adamawa State capital yesterday.

All the youths were protesting the removal the Imam of the Jimeta Jumaat Mosque, Mallam Sufiyanu Adamu.

The angry youths, who also burnt down the office of the District Head of Jimeta, Alhaji Mohammed Inuwa Baba-Paris. insisted that they would not accept the removal of the Imam by the District Head simply because the Imam criticised government’s handling of the security situation in the state.

The Imam had been very critical of the governments at the state and federal levels over the prevailing security situation, particularly the Boko Haram crisis, during a special prayer session for peace.

His fiery comments were said to have drawn the ire ofg Baba-Paris who decided to send him on suspension.

Trouble started when some of the rioters got to the mosque for the jumat service only to learn that the Imam could not show up because he had been suspended by the District Head.

They immediately mobilised themselves and stormed Baba-Paris’ office. Disappointed that he was not in the office, they decided to burnt down the office and the Magistrate Court.

Some of the youths also headed towards the district head office, setting it ablaze and were preparing to proceed to Baba-Paris’ residence before they were prevented by security agents and some opinion leaders who pleaded with them.

“We will no longer condone injustice by leaders who think we must not express ourselves in the face of injustice.

“Why should the district head feel offended because the Imam spoke the mind of the majority as far as the insecurity situation is concerned,” one of the protesters who identified himself as Sufi said.

Effort to get the Baba-Paris to react to the development did not yield result as he was said to have been rushed to an unknown destination by security agents.

When contacted, the Public Relations Officer of Adamawa State Police Command, DSP Othman Abubakar, confirmed the incident. But he said he was yet to get details of what actually happened.

Abubakar however said that the situation was now under control.