The Zamfara State House of Assembly has taken a decisive step in response to the worsening security situation in the state, impeaching its Speaker, Hon. Bilyaminu Moriki, during an emergency meeting held on Thursday night.
In a unanimous decision, 18 out of 24 members of the assembly voted to remove Moriki from his position, citing concerns over the resurgence of insecurity fueled by rampant attacks by bandits on communities across the state.
Following the impeachment, Hon. Bashar Gummi was ratified as the pro-tempo Speaker, stepping into the role in the wake of Moriki’s removal.
The motion to impeach the speaker was initiated by Hon. Nasiru Abdullahi, a member representing Maru State Constituency, who highlighted the urgent need for action in addressing the escalating insecurity crisis.
According to reports, Moriki was absent from the state for several days prior to his removal, which further fueled discontent among assembly members grappling with the security challenges plaguing their constituents.
Speaking during the emergency session, Hon. Shamsudeen Basko, representing Talata Mafara, emphasized the gravity of the security situation and stressed the need for immediate action to protect the lives and property of Zamfara residents.
“I have two issues, but an observation was made on one, which is that of insecurity that has been disturbing our people,” Hon. Basko remarked.
“Some are being killed and abducted. What are we doing in the assembly? We need to stand up and do something to defend our people because the armed bandits are invading local government headquarters unchallenged.”
“Let us call on the government to act now to protect our people,” he added.