The chairman of Guzamala Local Government Area of Borno State, Hon. Umar Lawan Sheriff, has been accused of firing a double-barrelled gun and threatening to kill a man at the residence of a former state governor.
According to a report by Zagazola Makama, the incident followed an argument at the residence involving the chairman and one Sanusi Othman, who was reportedly sleeping there. The chairman was allegedly heard saying, “Who is that man sleeping? I hope he doesn’t take drugs.”
Othman reportedly objected to the comment and later sent the chairman a WhatsApp message warning him against linking his name with drugs.
Details of another WhatsApp exchange dated September 3 also reportedly showed Othman warning Sheriff. The message ended with: “I’m not your mate.”
An eyewitness said the chairman later returned to the house in his vehicle, brought out a double-barrelled firearm and fired into the air. The incident reportedly caused people at the residence to panic and run for safety.
The chairman was also alleged to have pointed the gun at Othman and threatened to kill him. The man reportedly escaped while people around the scene moved away from the confrontation.
A video later circulated on social media showing a man displaying a spent red shotgun cartridge allegedly recovered from the scene. In the video, the man said they had been shot at in an attempt to kill him and described the cartridge as evidence of what happened.
The report said the incident remained largely out of public attention for almost three weeks. Sources reportedly said that instead of immediately involving the police or Department of State Services (DSS), efforts were made by people close to the chairman, including friends, associates and lawyers, to settle the matter privately.
According to the sources, intermediaries approached the alleged victim and others involved, asking them not to take the matter to the media or security agencies. They reportedly argued that making the incident public could have serious consequences for the chairman, including the possibility of losing his position.
The intermediaries also reportedly appealed to the victim to consider the people who depend on the chairman and those he had been “taking care of.”
The sources said the chairman was portrayed as having made a mistake and regretting his actions, with hopes that the matter could be resolved privately rather than becoming a public issue.
The allegations have raised concerns because they involve the reported use of a firearm and a direct threat to a person’s life.
However, the circumstances surrounding the incident and the allegations remain matters for the relevant authorities to investigate and establish.