The Zamfara State Government says it has suspended Surajo Namakkah, the district head of Badarawa, Shinkafi emirate, for conferring a title on a military officer who was arrested for selling ammunition to bandits.
Governor Bello Matawalle disclosed this in a short statement shared on his Twitter page on Saturday.
The statement read, “We suspended Surajo Namakkah the district head of Badarawa, Shinkafi emirate, for conferring a title on a military officer who was arrested for selling ammunition to bandits.
“The military officer was recently arrested in possession of 20 rounds of 62mm live ammunition.
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“The suspect was at the point of handing over the ammunition when he was apprehended, and had allegedly collected an advance payment of N100,000 from bandits.
“Also, one medical doctor and seven others were arrested for aiding and abetting banditry in Zamfara.”
Meanwhile, the Nigeria Medical Association (NMA) denied the report connecting medical doctors with banditry in Zamfara State.
This is contained in a statement signed in Gusau on Friday by the association’s state Chairman and Secretary, Dr Mannir Bature and Dr Remigius Nwachukwu.
“The attention of the Nigerian Medical Association (NMA), Zamfara State Chapter, has been drawn to a publication from various media organisations with a caption, ‘Police in Zamfara arrest medical doctor, 7 others in connection with banditry.
“However, we will like to make it clear to the general public that the above caption, which emanated from a joint press statement between the state Ministries of Information and that of Security and Home Affairs is incorrect.
“Our investigation revealed that the said person is not a medical doctor, but a Medical Laboratory Technician, who is parading himself as a medical doctor to defraud unsuspecting individuals.
“The person is neither a resident nor does he work in Zamfara state.
“This clarification becomes necessary owing to the fact that only holder of MBBS, MBChB and BDS are entitled to be called medical doctor,” the statement read.