29th July, 2010
A Jigawa high court sitting in Ringim has ordered the arrest of Alhaji Bala Kila, chairman of Gwaram local government, over his alleged involvement in the murder of three-year-old Zainab Ayuba.
The Presiding Judge, Justice Isa Gumel, gave the order as he discharged and acquitted a former member of the House of Representatives,  Auwalu Sule Kila, and two others who had been standing trial over their alleged involvement in the murder.
Delivering judgment, Gumel held that Kila, from Gwaram Federal Constituency, and the other accused persons, Kasim Ibrahim and Hussaini Umar, were innocent.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the discharged persons had been in prison custody since their arrest in October 2009.
The judge said the evidence before the court did not implicate them, but simply proved that they were innocent of the accusation.
He held that it was the duty of the court to dispense justice as the prime suspect, Abubakar Abdullahi, in his testimony, confessed that the three accused persons were framed up for the crime.
Based on new evidence, the court consequently ordered the arrest of the local government chairman and seven others over the said crime.
The other suspects are Tijjani Yagalala, Garba August, Yahai, Alhaji Salisu Sule, Isyaku Rasha, Gajarka, and Sale Sule.
Gumel also gave the order for Abdullahi to be remanded in prison custody pending the time he would be charged along with the eight other suspects for alleged murder.
The accused persons are to be arraigned on 21 September for charges of conspiracy and murder.