Musa Baraza: The Murder at Night – Mahmud Yahaya
INFOMEDIA – It is a known fact that whatever lives shall eventually die. Death is and has always being inevitable, regardless of one’s status, affiliation, age, piety or otherwise. Death has neither passion nor compassion.
If there was anything shocking on Thursday night, August 13 in Bauchi State, is the murder of Hon. Musa Mante Baraza, a member representing Dass constituency in the Bauchi state House of Assembly. Mante was lying on his sick bed in his village Baraza recuperating from the pandemic – covid-19 when some unknown gunmen sent him to the land of no return. These unknown men did not end their atrocity there. They went further to kidnap his wives and a year old child. Reports indicated that these unidentified gunmen were armed robbers.
While pondering on the matter, I was impelled by sudden impulse to ask these questions: If they were armed robbers, why did they had to kill the lawmaker?
Why abducting his family?
Could this be politically motivated?
Could they have been sent by someone?
What do they stand to gain by this devilish act?.
Unfortunately, only the perpetrators of this heinous act can provide answers to these questions.
In accordance with the Islamic injunctions, the remains of the late Hon. Musa Mante Baraza was buried at the Dass central burial ground after funeral prayers the following day. The funeral prayers were led by the Chief Imam of Dass Central Mosque with thousands of sympathisers, including the Emir of Dass, Alhaji Usman Bilyaminu Othman, Speaker of the state House of Assembly, Rt. Hon Abubakar Suleiman, members of the Assembly and other personalities.
The demise of the law maker has shocked not only his relatives but the entire state, as the Bauchi State governor, Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed was reported to have said “Innalillahi Wainna Ilaihi Raji’un. I received the killing of our lawmaker by unknown gunmen with great shock and that has shown that we need to put extra efforts in collaboration with the security agencies to ensure the safety of our people.”
“With this unfortunate incident, Bauchi State Government will work in close collaboration with security agencies to identify those involved in the killing so that they will face the full wrath of the law”. Gov Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed described the demise of the lawmaker as a greatest loss to the state.
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This was according to a statement by the governor’s Senior Special Assistant on Media, Muktar Gidado, Governor Mohammed stated this when he led top government officials on a condolence visit to the palace of Emir of Dass and the residence of the deceased.
The governor sympathized with the immediate family of the lawmaker, Dass Emirate council and members of the state House of Assembly over the loss, promising to take stiffer measures to address security concerns in the area.
He said the state government will work in collaboration with security agencies with a view to fishing out those involved in killing of the lawmaker for them to be brought to justice.
He then prayed that may Almighty Allah receive the soul of the departed and comfort his family.
Earlier, the Speaker, Bauchi State House of Assembly, Rt. Hon. Abubakar Y. Suleiman, described the death of the late. Hon. Musa Mante Baraza, as shocking and a great loss to the state.
He added that he was yet to recover from the trauma of the devastating news of the merciless murder of Baraza.
He, however, stated that he submits everything to Almighty Allah Who states in the Qur’an that every soul shall taste death.
The Speaker described the deceased as a God-fearing person, humble and a dependable ally who served and related with people selflessly and honourably.
According to him, the deceased lawmaker did not only dedicate his time but also deployed resources to the service of his constituents.
He added that the late Baraza diligently discharged his responsibilities as the chairman, House Committee on Public Petitions, declaring that the deceased contributed immensely to the business of the House.
The lawmaker died at a time that his family, the people of Dass constituency and the state, in general, needed him the most. He urged the bereaved family, colleagues and constituents to take solace and prayed to Almighty Allah to forgive the deceased’s shortcomings and give those he left behind the fortitude to bear the painful and irreparable loss.
As the late Hon. Musa Mante Baraza was laid to rest, one can see how he was described by different personalities. If he were a rascal, he would have been described as such. This should serve as an example not only to politicians, but to everybody.
Remember!
You may die or be killed, but your legacy and good work will live on till eternity.
May the soul of all the departed rest in paradise.
Mahmud Yahaya writes from
Bauchi State University, Gadau,
Faculty of Law and can be reached via: [email protected]
The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect the editorial policy of INFOMEDIA
