The Nasarawa State Governor, Tanko Al-Makura has admitted to donating N1 Million to the Dangerous Ombatse Sect.
The Group has been accused of killing security personnel in May 2013. Al-Makura admitted this on Friday at a commission of inquiry into the attack that occured in Alakyo Community.
He said the youths were protesting against the military, which, they alleged, obstructed their prayer session at Alogani Village.
Mr Al-Makura comments came in response to statements by the legal adviser to Ombatse, Zamani Allumaga, who said that the governor gave leaders of the group and Eggon Community Development Association, ECDA, N2 million when they visited him in November, 2012.
The governor’s appearance and his claim have stirred a fresh round of controversy in the state. The state Peoples Democratic Party, PDP’s Youth leader, Mohammed Barde, called the governor’s action “criminal” and said he was abetting criminality.
Mr. Barde said the governor’s appearance and testimony set a bad precedence and rubbished the exalted seat of the governor. According to Ismaila Ahmed of Angwan Waje, Keffi, Mr Al-Makura’s appearance makes him an interested party.
Mr. Ahmed added that the governor could not be a judge in his own case, and as such, the commission should not submit its report to him but to a separate body accepted by all parties involved.
