Guzamala chairman allegedly fires double-barrel gun, threatens to kill a man at residence of former Borno governor
By: Zagazola Makama
A serious security controversy has erupted in Borno State following an alleged shooting involving the Chairman of Guzamala Local Government Area, Hon. Umar Lawan Sheriff, at the residence of a former Borno State governor.
Zagazola Makama gathered that the incident involved the discharge of a double-barrel firearm, with a spent shotgun cartridge reportedly recovered from the scene after the confrontation. The recovery of the spent cartridge provides physical evidence that a shotgun was discharged at the location.
According to accounts obtained in connection with the incident, the confrontation began during a disagreement at the residence before the situation reportedly escalated.
The Chairman was said to have humiliated one Sanusi Othman, who was sleeping at the residence. The Chairman was reportedly heard saying, “Who is that man sleeping? I hope he doesn’t take drugs.”
The comment reportedly did not go down well with Mr Othman, who later sent a WhatsApp message warning the Chairman never to associate him with drugs.
Zagazola Makama also obtained details of a WhatsApp exchange dated Sept. 3 involving Mr Sanusi, who reportedly warned Umar Sheriff. The message ended with: “I’M NOT YOUR MATE.”
According to an eyewitness account, the Chairman later stormed the house in his vehicle, brought out a double-barrel firearm and fired into the air, causing people at the residence to panic and scamper for safety. The situation reportedly became more frightening when the Chairman allegedly turned the firearm towards the man and threatened to kill him.
The alleged victim is said to have escaped the immediate danger as those around the scene attempted to move away from the confrontation.
A video subsequently circulated on social media showing a man displaying a spent red shotgun cartridge reportedly recovered from the scene.
In the video, the man explained that they had been shot at in an attempt to kill him, while insisting that the empty cartridge should serve as evidence of what happened.
Zagazola Makama reports that for nearly three weeks, the shooting has remained largely away from public scrutiny despite the seriousness of the allegations surrounding it.
Rather than immediately reporting the matter to the appropriate security authorities, including the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Police Force, and allowing an independent investigation to establish what happened, sources familiar with the aftermath said efforts were made through friends, associates and lawyers to keep the matter within a private settlement process.
According to the sources, people close to the Chairman approached the alleged victim and others involved in the incident, urging them not to take the matter to the press or security agencies. The argument reportedly was that publicity could have serious consequences for the Chairman including the possibility of losing his position.
The intermediaries were also said to have appealed to the victim to consider the number of people allegedly dependent on the Chairman and those he had been “taking care of.”
The message, according to the accounts, was essentially that the Chairman had made a mistake and was full of regret, while hoping that the matter would be resolved quietly rather than allowed to develop into a public scandal.
The silence is particularly striking because the matter reportedly involved a firearm and a direct allegation that a citizen was threatened with death.
If it were any other citizen in the state, such an allegation would ordinarily trigger a police report, statements from witnesses and an investigation. Instead, according to sources familiar with the matter, efforts were concentrated on resolving the issue privately.
The concern expressed by those involved in the attempted settlement was reportedly not simply the safety of the alleged victim, but the political consequences for the Chairman if the incident became public. There is nothing wrong with attempting to resolve a personal disagreement peacefully.
But a firearm discharge and an alleged death threat are not merely private matters when they involve a serving public official. Once a firearm is allegedly discharged and a person is allegedly threatened with death, the public interest begins where private settlement ends.
There is a deeper issue here than the fate of one local government Chairman. When powerful people use political influence, friendship networks or lawyers to prevent a potentially criminal incident from reaching the appropriate authorities, the public loses confidence in the government.
It cannot necessarily erase an alleged criminal act. If somebody unlawfully fired a firearm, the state should have an interest in determining who fired it. If somebody pointed a firearm at another person and threatened to kill him, the state should have an interest in determining whether a criminal offence occurred. And if the allegation is false, the state equally has an interest in establishing that fact and protecting the accused from false accusations. That is why the proper solution is investigation.
Public office should not operate on the principle that an official must be protected from accountability because other people depend on him. That logic can become dangerous. What if the Chairman succeeded in killing the victim, the story would have been different.
Every politician has supporters. Every elected official has people who benefit from government patronage. Every public office holder has friends, political associates and family members. But none of those relationships should become a shield against investigation.
At this stage, the matter should be removed from private negotiations and placed before the appropriate authorities.
The DSS and the Nigeria Police Force should invite the alleged victim and other witnesses to make formal statements. The Chairman should also be invited to provide his account. The alleged firearm should be identified and recovered. The recovered cartridge should be preserved and examined. Investigators should establish whether additional cartridges exist and reconstruct the sequence of events.
The DSS can independently assess whether the incident has wider security or political implications, particularly because it involves a serving local government Chairman from an area affected by prolonged insurgency. Digital evidence should also be preserved, including the original videos, WhatsApp messages and other communications relating to the incident. If the investigation establishes that the Chairman committed an offence, the law should take its course.
Call on Borno Government
The Borno State Government should not allow the matter to be treated merely as a political or private disagreement. Given the allegations involving a firearm, a serving local government Chairman and an alleged threat to human life, the government should encourage the relevant security agencies to conduct an impartial investigation.
The objective should not be to prejudge the Chairman or the alleged victim, but to establish the facts and ensure that any person found to have violated the law is held accountable, while anyone wrongly accused is equally protected.
For the credibility of government and public confidence in the justice system, the matter deserves a transparent and lawful resolution.
Zagazola Makama is a Counter Insurgency Expert and Security Analysts in the Lake Chad Region
