CHEEKY JIHADIST QUIVERS AS SACK FEVER GRIPS

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 ABUJA 001034

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PHUM PGOV PINR KDEM KIRF NI
SUBJECT: CHEEKY JIHADIST QUIVERS AS SACK FEVER GRIPS
GWANDU


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Summary
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1. On Friday, June 3, Governor Adamu Aliero of Kebbi
State announced the removal of the Emir of Gwandu, one
of the most senior traditional rulers in northern
Nigeria, Mustapha Haruna Jokolo. Jokolo was quickly
replaced by General Muhammadu Jega, a retired two-star
general who twice served as military governor of the
defunct Gongola State (now Adamawa and Taraba States).
Authorities in Birnin Kebbi maintained that Jokolo was
fired for "disrespecting constituted authorities and
abandoning his sphere of influence." Jokolo and his
supporters have rejected these allegations, accusing
President Obasanjo of ousting him for disagreeing with
the President. Two months ago, Jokolo called on the
Nigerian Muslims to wage a "jihad" against the Obasanjo
administration for its alleged marginalization of
Muslims.

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Emir Jokolo Dethroned
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2. The Emir of Gwandu, Alhaji Mustapha Haruna Jokolo,
a high-profile traditional ruler whose recent
criticisms of President Obasanjo were widely reported
by the local media, was removed from office late on
Friday, June 3. By this action, the 53-year old former
infantry soldier also lost his job as national vice-
chair of Jama'atu Nasril Islam (JNI),the umbrella
organization for all Muslims in Nigeria, along with his
chair of the Kebbi State Council of Chiefs.


3. Kebbi State commissioner for information Audi
Danbursa told newsmen that Jokolo was removed because
of his "high handedness and unlawfully staying outside
Gwandu Emirate." He accused the emir of showing
contempt not only to the elected political leaders but
also to other emirs. "The Kebbi State Government had
painfully tolerated the uncooperative and combative
attitude of the former emir for a long time. The
government had to act now. The man prefers to stay in
Kaduna and Kano abandoning his principal duty as emir,"
Audi stated.

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Was His Removal Politically Motivated?
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4. Governor Aliero, in a meeting with the local Muslim
leaders in state capital Birnin Kebbi, denied
insinuations that Jokolo's dethronement was influenced
by President Obasanjo. He further told his guests that
Jokolo was not removed because of his persistent
opposition to the way the Muslims were being treated in
Nigeria. A handful of Muslim leaders interviewed by
the government-owned National Television Authority
(NTA) said they were satisfied with the explanations
given to them by Governor Aliero about Jokolo's fate.


5. Ibrahim Dasuki, the 18th Sultan of Sokoto, said
that Jokolo deserves what he gets. Dasuki, whose
removal and banishment from office by the Abacha regime
in 1995 was supported by Jokolo, said that the deposed
emir was "reckless" in action and in public statements.
Dasuki averred that Jokolo's recent public statements
were capable of threatening the national unity and
peaceful coexistence of Nigeria, particularly Jokolo's
calls for a "jihad" to oppose Muslim marginalization.


6. In sharp contrast, Jokolo and his sympathizers
contend that the presidency was behind his ouster.
Abubakar Malami, Jokolo's attorney and spokesman, said
no authorities had questioned the emir, nor was he
invited to defend himself before he was removed.
Malami said bluntly that "we know that the Federal
Government has a hand in this matter. He (Jokolo) had
spoken on issues affecting the interest of the people
of the North and we know the presidency is not happy
with him. We intend to go to court because the action
of the governor is illegal."


7. Datti Ahmed, national president of the Supreme
Council of Sharia in Nigeria (SCSN),stated that apart
from taking legal steps, SCSN would mobilize Muslim
clerics and traditional rulers to reinstate Jokolo.
Addressing the press shortly after an SCSN emergency
meeting in Kaduna on June 5, Datti argued that Jokolo
was removed because he challenged Obasanjo during a
Muslim delegation's visit to Obasanjo protesting the
marginalization of Muslims in governmental appointments
and the selection of delegates to the National
Political Reform Conference (NPRC). Ahmed believed
Jokolo was dethroned to ensure that "other traditional
rulers and progressive forces do not raise their voices
in the struggle for justice, fair play and free speech.
The motive is clearly to undermine Islam and disorient
the focus of Muslims in the struggle and fair play in
the polity."

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Background: Jokolo Stands Up to Obasanjo
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8. Northern Muslim leaders and emirs met in Kaduna on
March 28 and discussed the alleged marginalization of
Muslims and established a committee headed by Sultan
Maccido to meet with President Obasanjo to redress the
problem. The committee eventually met the President,
but Ahmed claimed that "Obasanjo was very rude to them,
and the Emir of Gwandu stood up and challenged him.
Obasanjo did not take it lightly." The media later
reported that Jokolo had urged Muslims to fight against
the federal authorities.

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Where Is Jokolo Now?
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9. A senior official of Kebbi State Government
confirmed to Poloff that Jokolo has been banished to
Nasarawa State. According to this (unwritten)
tradition, when an emir is sacked from his position,
authorities immediately exile him to a town or village
far from his domain in order to allow the new emir to
settle in. Under normal circumstances, the sacked emir
would not be allowed to visit any part of his domain
even as a private citizen for the rest of his life.

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The New Emir, General Jega
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10. General Muhammadu Jega is celebrating his new
position as the newly appointed Emir of Gwandu. Ten
years ago, Jega, a prince of the emirate lost out to
the young and amiable Jokolo in a keenly contested
royal rumble following the death of Jokolo's father.
Although Jega was Jokolo's senior in the military, the
kingmakers at the time unanimously selected Jokolo,
believing he was a better candidate.


11. The soft-spoken infantry general was born in 1942
in Jega, Kebbi State. He joined the Nigerian army in
1962 and voluntarily retired in 1985. A course mate of
former military presidents Ibrahim Babangida and
Muhammadu Buhari, the new emir worked with Obasanjo
when he was military head of state. Jega was the first
military governor of the defunct Gongola State from
1976 to 1978 and again from 1984 to 1985, served as
deputy commandant of the Nigerian Defense Academy
(NDA),from 1978 to 1981, General Officer Commanding,
2nd Mechanized Division, 1983 and first OAU peace-
keeping commander in 1982. Jega attended NDA in 1962,
Pakistan Military Academy from 1962 to 1965, Command
and General Staff College, Fort Leavenworth, Kansas,
from 1972 to 1973, and National Institute for Policy
and Strategic Studies, Kuru-Jos in 1979. In his post-
retirement life, Jega served as chairman of Northern
Nigeria Development Corporation (NNDC),Kaduna, and
deputy secretary, JNI.


12. In his acceptance speech, Jega said he would work
very hard "to unite his people and foster
interreligious understanding in his emirate." Asked
whether he was aware that his appointment did not go
over well with some people, he answered: "I don't
expect everyone to be happy with my appointment but
with time, people would understand why the change
became necessary. I consider the recent happenings as
part of destiny and I would reach out to the camp of
the former emir. After all, we are all members of the
same family."

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Any Violent Reactions?
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13. With the media war by the two opposing camps
continuing, there has been no report of violence in
either Birnin Kebbi, the headquarters of the Gwandu
Emirate, or elsewhere in the North. Sources said the
state government took quick preemptive measures to
frustrate any opposition. Apart from reaching out to
Muslim leaders in the state, the government effectively
mobilized some spokespeople to propagate Jokolo's
offenses while in office. Whether the action will be
accepted still depends on the activities of other
Muslim organizations like SCSN.
CAMPBELL