THE ARREST OF UKWE ALHAJI ALI IBRAHIM ZOLTO KUFFANG RIBENJI II IN 1965. In January 1965 when Tiv crisis was at its peak,the military were invited to quell the riot. The information reached the military that the Ukwe had large cache of arms and was the cause of the crisis in Takum District. In the first week of February, an unbiased Nigerian military were sent 2 Takum.They arrived in Takum and went house 2 houses to disarm people.The Ukwe Palace was searched with the objective of obtaining incriminating evidence to arrest the Ukwe, Alhaji Ali Ibrahim Zolto Kuffang II,nothing was found.Out of mare frustration and annoyance they arrested the Ukwe and took him 2 Wukari and he was kept under house arrest in one of the empty offices. Ukwe Ali Kuffang II remained undaunted because of his Islamic belief that everything that happened to him was destined by Allah to happen.He was not worried by the brutal treatment melted to him by the soldiers stationed at Wukari.When Ukwe Ali Kuffang II was under house detention for 2 days,there was celebration by the enemies of Mbaetebs at Takum who claimed that he had been relieved as the Ukwe of Takum. Some of Aids including Yerima Enoch Audu and Danazumi Obadiah Rika (DOK).He sent Yerima Enoch Audu and Danazumi Obadiah Rika to Makurdi to go and tell Tanko Jolly about his situation.Tanko Jolly was a commissioner at that time.They went and told Tanko Jolly about the arrest,he was very worried.He wanted to go to Wukari himself,but thought that it was a waste of time because the soldiers might not listen 2 him. He thought that the soldiers were acting on the instruction of an indigenous officer from Takum.Please connect this with the result of the interview of the Acting Ukwe of Takum, Madaki Alabura Kaigama Rika Ribenji conducted by Barrister Irambiya.In that interview the Acting Ukwe reported that, “some of these Chamba elders started this trouble during the time of his uncle Ukwe Ibrahim Zolto Kuffang, but Kuffang being a strict disciplinarian never spares the rod on them especially on Kuru Danjuma).Make your own conclusion.Why was he detained? Who was behinnd it? who benefit from it? At this moment Mallam Tanko Jolly tried to get in touch with the Sardauna,Sir Ahmadu Bello through the telephone,but could not reach him.He told Yerima Enoch Audu and Danazumi Obadiah Rika to return home.He made up his mind to travel to Kaduna immediately 2 see Sardauna.It was reported that he left that night and reach Kaduna at 5:30 am the following morning.It was reported that he went straight 2 Sardauna’s residence that morning.It was reported that Tanko Jolly was very somber when he met Sardauna and Sardauna has not seen him in such mood b4. Mallam Tank Jolly was very close to Sardauna when he was elected into the Northern House of assembly in 1956.It was reported that he was very loyal 2 Sardauna and Sardauna had so much confidence in him. It was also reported that Tank Jolly was Sardauna’s disciple in their quest 2 build a strong Northern Nigeria founded in the principle of justice and equal rights. That morning Mallam Tanko explained to the Sardauna that Ukwe Ali Kuffang II was in detention and it was the handwork of some the Ukwe’s enemies who were hell bent in their quest 2 seize the Ukwe crown from the rightful heirs,the mbaetebs at all cost.Sardauna said,“he was very much aware of such scheming,but as a man of God, Allah deters him from giving a person’s birth right to another” Saurdauna telephoned the military headquarters in Lagos. He asked them why they were detaining the Ukwe of Takum.The military command said they were acting on the instructions from one of their officers who claimed 2 be indigenes of Takum.Sardauna ordered the military 2 release the Ukwe that day and they complied by signaling Makurdi who gave the order 4 the release of the Ukwe Ali Kuffang II. Ukwe spent 6 days in detention (The Epitome of Peace: Life Times of Ukwe Ali Ibrahim Kuffang Zolto II, by Barrister, Irambiya Moses Innocent 2002)
Posted on: Mon, 10 Jun 2013 22:38:17 +0000
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