Eighteen years after a violent crackdown, former Sokoto State Governor Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko has confessed to ordering the killing of Shiite followers and the destruction of their religious centres and homes during his tenure.
In a video clip, Wamakko is heard admitting he directed a military operation against members of the Islamic Movement.
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“In this state, we fought fiercely against the Shi’a ideology. During the time of Malam Danmaishiyya and Malam Bello Kofa, they helped us greatly. With God’s help, we eliminated the Shi’a. Even His Eminence, the Sultan, played a major role in the killing,” Wamakko said.
He continued, providing specific details of the operation: “I called a young Major named Nasiru, also called Muhammad, from Kontagora. I told him to come and give advice; he did. That very night, everything was carried out — we killed them and demolished their homes and schools, turned their centre into a waterworks and a hospital.”
The confession relates to the July 2007 Sokoto massacre, which occurred after the assassination of Sunni cleric Umar Danmaishiyya. The crackdown resulted in six Shiite followers killed and over 63 homes and shops destroyed.
Reacting to the confession, Islamic movement activist Bilal Nasiru Umar described the statement as a “clear admission of guilt.” He said, “As Wamakko himself confessed, the blood of those innocent servants of God lies on his hands,” and called for justice for the victims and their families.
The admission has sparked renewed calls for investigations into the 2007 massacre, which human rights groups documented as one of the earliest state-backed assaults on Nigeria’s Shiite community.
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