An identity card belonging to the Deputy Chairman of Miyetti Allah Cattle Breeders Association of Nigeria in Bassa Local Government Area of Plateau State, Zakariya Ya’u Idris, is now a subject of controversy.
The Police authorities said they had commenced investigation into the matter.
While the Irigwe Development Association alleged that the document was recovered at a scene where some persons were recently killed by suspected Fulani herdsmen, MACBAN said the ID card was stolen by Irigwe youths who attacked the house of Idris while he was worshiping in the mosque.
The President of IDA and former member, Plateau State House of Assembly, Sunday Abdu, said, “The identity card was seen at the scene of an attack where people were killed.
“The issue of identity cards is a small matter. We also recovered telephone handsets.
“We have reported the matter to the Police and the items have been taken for investigation.”
But when contacted by our correspondent, the chairman of MACBAN in Plateau State, Muhammad Nuru Abdullahi, insisted that the ID card was stolen along with other personal documents.
He said, “The owner of the ID card is the deputy chairman of MACBAN in Bassa LGA. He was chased out of his own house.
“He left this document inside his own house, and they entered and picked it and then went away with it. The man was running for his life.
“The incident happened on Wednesday morning. You know, they were attacked very early in the morning before 6:00am. He was in the mosque when they were attacked and he was unable to return to his house.
“That was how they picked the documents, including the certificates of his children, indigene’s certificates of his wife and children, his (MACBAN) identity card, vehicle documents and other personal items.
“He has reported to the Police and the report has been documented.”
When contacted to find out whether any report was lodged by either parties, the spokesperson of Plateau State Police Command, Matthias Tyopev, an Assistant Superintendent of Police said, “It is a sensitive matter; no comment for now, until after diligent investigation.”
But the Police later said the owner of the ID card, had reported a case of armed invasion at his home at the Bassa Divisional Headquarters on Sunday.
“The man whose face appeared on the ID card has reported at the Bassa Division today that his ID card was missing after his house was broken into during an attack.
“But we have not found the ID card since nobody has brought it to the police”, Tyopev told the online medium, Premium Times.
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