Kachia Council Suspends Speaker Over Confirmation Of Terrorist Attack

The Speaker and councillor representing Awon Ward in Kachia Local Government Council, Kaduna State, Hon. Mark Bawa, has been indefinitely suspended by his colleagues for confirming the recent terrorist attack in Ariko community.

A letter dated April 8, 2026, and signed by the Legislative Clerk, Mairo Mustapha, informed Bawa of the council’s decision, which followed a plenary sitting where members unanimously approved his suspension.

The council cited his public confirmation of the incident and the casualty figures he reported as the basis for the action.

“The council, in a plenary sitting on April 8, 2026, unanimously approved the suspension of Hon. Mark Bawa.”

According to the letter, Bawa’s statements, made in an interview published in The Punch newspaper on April 5, “misrepresented the true position on the ground, causing serious embarrassment to security agencies, the state, and the local government.”

“Investigations revealed that he was not at the scene during the attacks but went ahead to provide figures that contradicted verified reports.”

The suspension notice also stated that Bawa ignored an invitation from the military to meet, alongside the Agom Kachia and the council chairman, with the General Officer Commanding, 1 Division of the Nigerian Army, to clarify his statements and possibly issue an apology.

The council described his actions as “a deliberate attempt to sabotage government efforts to address the security challenges in the area.”

Bawa has been directed to vacate his office immediately and hand over all council property to the clerk.