The Gaya community in the Hong Local Government Area of Adamawa State has raised the alarm over the recent selection of the area’s district head.

Some of the residents told journalists on Wednesday in Hong that the recent selection process of the district head needed to be reviewed in the interest of justice, peace and unity in the area.

One of them, a retired commissioner of police, Alhaji Nasiru Adamu, said that Gaya community has four clans that were supposed to produce the district head in the recent selection of a caretaker who was not from any of the clans.

According to him, the new district head is from Makera which is far from Gaya District, adding that even if he is to contest, he is supposed to resign before the exercise.

Mr Adamu said that the selection was announced in only a few days and was overtaken by corruption.

“The selection process was announced two days to the exercise and those responsible for the selection were invited for a meeting with the acting district head. Some among them slept there and the following day were taken directly to the venue, ‘he said.

He appealed to the Adamawa Government and the emirate council to review the exercise and allow those in the known clans to contest for peace and development of the area.

Minkailu Inuwa of Gaya Sikalmi said in the history of the community those who served as caretakers were not allowed to be among the contestants.

He therefore appealed for government intervention for indigenes to be allowed to head the affairs of their community and not an outsider.

According to him, since the district head assumed acting two years he never stayed in the community to hear and know the situation there.

“In Gaya district we have Huduma, Kulamari, Mulathul and Thulbang clans. The new head did not come from any of these clans,” he said.

Another respondent, Bello Zakaria, also appealed to the state government to create Mugwahi district to end the tension for each to lead their people.

He added that since the creation of the district whoever acted would not partake in the selection process.

Contacted, the District Head, Alhaji Ado Suleiman, maintained that the selection process was free and fair, declining comments on the allegations until he got permission from the emirate council.

(NAN)