By Iyke Obi Durumba
Zaria’s largest bakery has been shut down following attacks by armed hoodlums. The attacks orchestrated by hired vigilante led to looting and extensive destruction of equipment.
A retired naval officer, Admiral Tahir Yusuf has been fingered as the hand behind the mayhem that led to the closure of one of Zaria’s biggest bakeries, Bitmas Bakery Ltd on Sokoto Road.
Following a family disagreement, the retired naval officer demanded his wife hand over the bakery to him, a demand she reportedly refused.
While the bakery’s MD, Dr. Zainab Yusuf was out of the country, the illegal attempt to take over the bakery commenced when one Shettima Yusuf visited the bakery and demanded all revenues and reports to be directed to him. Shettima Yusuf is Admiral Tahir Yusuf’s younger brother. When this was resisted by the bakery management, he resorted to threats.
Rebuffed, he returned to the bakery on the night of October 10 with thugs alleged to be members of the Kaduna State Vigilante Services KADVIS. Shooting and destroying everything in sight, the thugs invaded the bakery, slashed all the tyres of vehicles within the premises, looted supplies and assaulted staff including females.
Repeated calls to the Police led to the arrest of some of the thugs who were charged to court.
On Monday Oct 11, the suspects were arraigned before a Magistrate who granted them bail. Admiral Tahir was in court with two uniformed soldiers. In a show of impunity, he allegedly led the suspects from the court back to the bakery where they continued the destruction of whatever was left.
Eyewitnesses told Daybreak News that the soldiers restrained the manager while the Admiral repeatedly assaulted her, injuring one eye and receiving lumps on the head as a result of blows.
Staff say the CCTV cameras in the bakery were smashed and the DVR recorder destroyed and taken away by the assailants to prevent videos of the assault from going out to the public.”But we recorded most of what happened on our phones. We have many clips that clearly show faces of those who brutalized and looted the bakery,” said an eyewitness who pleaded anonymity.
Another staff confirmed the attack and told Daybreak News that the Admiral came to the bakery in company of soldiers and some of his friends including Sarkin Gandu and ordered everybody out, physically assaulted the manager and proceeded to loot the place. “They were just packing everything they saw, flour, eggs, milk, bread.”
In the full glare of a shocked public, soldiers in combat fatigues were seen carting away looted items like flour and sugar into private vehicles.
Court processes
Bitmas Bakery’s lawyer had earlier filed a case of trespass at a Kaduna State High Court. In suit number KDH/Z/271/2021, the presiding Judge, Justice Rabi Salisu Oladoja granted a restraining order against Shettima Yusuf, two others, their agents and privies, barring them from entering into the bakery.
However, this order was violated on Oct 10 when hired KADVIS personnel led by Samaila Musa a.k.a Sarkin Gandu invaded the bakery. “They started shooting in the night, the generator was turned off. Amidst loud shouts and cries from the staff, assailants deflated all the tyres of the cars in the premises and kept threatening to deal with the staff,” an eyewitness recounted.
Samaila Musa a.k.a Sarkin Gandu is a 63-yr old fugitive wanted by EFCC for obtaining money under false pretence.
On Oct 11, Shettima Yusuf, in carefree impunity and flagrant disobedience to court orders, participated in the attack and looting of the bakery.
Also seen among the assailants were fully kitted armed soldiers identified as Admiral Tahir Yusuf’s orderly and driver.
One of the soldiers during the assault.
Samaila Musa a.k.a Sarkin Gandu is a 63-yr old fugitive wanted by EFCC for obtaining money under false pretence.
The Admiral with his wanted associate Sarkin Gandu conferring during the attack
Residents of Zaria claim to have seen the suspect recently driving a Toyota Hilux belonging to Bitmas Bakery stolen during the attacks.
Sarkin Gandu declared wanted by EFCC
Person of Interest
Meanwhile, documents sighted by Daybreak News confirm that Admiral Tahir was placed on Nigeria Police watchlist in 2018. In April 2019, the Economic and Financial crimes Commission (EFCC) wrote to the Chief of Defence Intelligence requesting information on a company owned by Admiral Tahir Yusuf, Bitmas Enterprises. The anti-graft agency sought to know details of contracts,payments and status of contracts held by the company.
Tahir, a former Nigeria Navy Director of Accounts, allegedly took thugs to the premises and ordered them to smash up the multimillion Naira ultramodern bakery owned by his wife.
The retired naval officer is also enmeshed in a web of graft and has refunded over N500m to the FG so far. Following investigations by the EFCC, the anti-graft commission in 2018 obtained a court order freezing accounts belonging to Admiral Tahir Yusuf in several banks notably Zenith and Skye banks.
The retired Admiral was in 2020 allegedly ordered by a Federal High Court Abuja to refund the sum of N500m to the Federal Government being proceeds of corrupt enrichment while he was in the Navy.
The total amount forfeited was N392, 695,857.87 including $91,955.38 and the sum of £15,050 held in domiciliary accounts.
Yusuf, previously second-in-command to the Chief of Account and Budget, Naval Headquarters (NHQ), held the cash in seven accounts- both private and corporate accounts in two separate banks.
However, before EFCC secured the forfeiture order, Admiral Yusuf fled the country. He had been holed up in Dubai for years before returning to the country through means yet to be ascertained.
Ownership
Daybreak News investigation at the Corporate Affairs Commission revealed that Bitmas Bakery Limited is wholly owned by Zainab Wantadi Tahir incorporated in 2014.
Further ownership checks at Kaduna Geographic Information Systems reveal that the bakery premises belongs to Bitmas Bakery Limited, thus clearing any doubts about the ownership of the multi-million Naira bakery.
Copy of Certificate of incorporation showing Directors of Bitmas Bakery
Bakery Closed
As a result of the armed assault, looting, vandalism and threats, Bitmas Bakery has temporarily closed down. All 145 regular staff and scores other ad hoc marketers have been rendered jobless. All production and business has been suspended and the premises put under lock and key.
The effect of the closure is being felt in the Zaria metropolis as bread is being supplied by bakeries as far as Kaduna city to meet the demand in Zaria. Bitmas Bakery produces about 60-70% of bread consumed in Zaria.
Counting losses
The assault which lasted overnight led to severe losses which threaten the bakery’s existence as well as the jobs of the staff who depend on it. Sources told Daybreak News that the hoodlums smashed up the offices and looted huge sums of money as well as stock.
“They stole N950,000 in cash from the distribution office,” a staff said. “They looted flour worth over N14m. Sugar, milk, yoghurt and many other items were stolen.”
“Stock in the stores alone were worth N29m. If we quantify all that was lost, it would be conservatively put at N40m,” the source said.
Some of the staff have been receiving death threats. Bemoaning their safety, one told Daybreak News, “Till today, we don’t feel safe, people are trailing us. I have had to go into hiding”.
Another staff who claims to have worked there for 5years said, “Bitmas Bakery didn’t only give us a job, it gave us a family. Here we don’t discriminate.
“The outlook of the MD is more people oriented than anything else. Staff are entitled to lunch, accommodation and other perks. It is a home for many people,” he added.
With over 145 staff, Bitmas Bakery has become a notable brand in the city which hosts more than 10 tertiary institutions of national significance. As a source of livelihood for hundreds of families, the bakery holds considerable significance as sustenance especially in the face of general economic downturn.
With the closure, staff lament their fate. “It has rendered us jobless”, one source who prefers anonymity tells Daybreak News. “Some of us are stranded because of the sudden nature of the attack. Many families are solely dependent on this bakery. Apart from the staff, we have scores of distributors and other sub distributors, they are all out of jobs now.”
Other staff urged the Police to ensure safety of the work environment by arresting and prosecuting the assailants and ensuring justice is done.
When contacted, the Investigating Police Officer did not pick his phone and did not respond to messages.
