One million naira for the payment of the August salary of 53 primary school teachers in Sokoto State has allegedly been stolen by suspected thugs in Isa Local Government Area.
The incident followed an attack on the Education Officer of Bargaja area of the local government, Alhaji Umar Kwambe.
The education officer told reporters that some thugs, allegedly sponsored by the District Head of Isa, Alhaji Nasir Ahmed, stole the cash last Saturday.
He said the hoodlums set his room on fire with the intention to burn him to death and go away with the money.
Kwambe said: “They (thugs) attacked me and set my room on fire. They prevented me from escaping from the room and, in the process, took away the money.
“The money was meant for the payment of teachers’ salaries, ranging from N10,000 to N60,000.”
A resident, Alhaji Sani Dallatu, accused Ahmed’s younger brother, Alhaji Aliyu Sarkin-Yamma, of spearheading the attack.
He said: “This led to the destruction of his (Kwambe’s) vehicle and the smashing of the windows of his house.”
But some residents absolved the community leader of wrongdoing.
Sarkin-Yamma, who is also the village head of Tsabre in the area, described the allegations as “lies, baseless and unfounded”.
The community leader said he and his brother were running the affairs of the area with the fear of God.
He said: “We are not afraid of any probe.”
The Divisional Police Officer (DPO), Mr Ilyasu Tanko, confirmed receiving a formal complaint from Kwambe and Dallatu.
He said: “We have received these complaints and they are being investigated with a view to finding out the truth.”
