Mala Kachalla
Encyclopedia
Mala Kachalla was governor of Borno State
in Nigeria
from 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2003.
(ANPP) due to a factional split. His election was financed by Ali Modu Sheriff
, who became Senator for Borno Central.
In August 2000, Borno State decided to adopt Sharia
law. Mala Kachalla reassured Christians by emphasising that Sharia, which includes punishments like amputation and flogging, would only apply to Muslims.
In February 2001, he established a Sharia Implementation Committee, which investigated the practical steps involved in introducing Sharia
law in the state.
After receiving the report, Mala Kachalla said the Sharia legal system would come into force in June 2001. Applying only to Muslims, the laws would ban gambling, alcohol and prostitution, among other vices.
In February 2002, riots broke out in Lagos
between Hausa and Yoruba groups, during which houses were destroyed and over 100 people died, including women and children. Mala Kachalla met with the Lagos State
governor Bola Tinubu
and broadcast appeals to both sides to end the violence.
In September 2002 Mala Kachalla said there were conflicting border claims in the Lake Chad
area, and that Nigeria was losing control of some island villages there. He said there was no clear cut demarcation between Borno, Chad
and Cameroon
, and that the region was plagued by armed rebels and trafficking in illicit arms and children.
In November 2001 police fired at workers in Maiduguri protesting against the withholding of their wages, a breach of a previous pay agreement. The Borno State Police Commissioner imposed a state of emergency.
According to the Nigeria Labour Congress
President in Borno State, when Mala Kachalla left office leave grant had not been paid for two years, health and hotel workers were on strike, shoe factory workers could not get their terminal benefits and even pensioners had outstanding arrears.
Kachalla left the ANPP and joined the Alliance for Democracy
(AD).
He was defeated by Ali Modu Sheriff.
In February 2006, Kachalla changed parties again, joining the People's Democratic Party
(PDP).
Kachalla died at his home in Maiduguri on 18 April 2007, after a brief illness.
He was 66 years old.
Borno State
Borno State is a state in north-eastern Nigeria. Its capital is Maiduguri. The state was formed in 1976 from the split of the North-Eastern State...
in Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
from 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2003.
Borno Governor
Mala Kachalla was elected as governor of Borno State in April 1999, running for the All People's Party (APP), which was renamed All Nigeria People's PartyAll Nigeria People's Party
The All Nigeria Peoples Party is a conservative political party in Nigeria. At the last legislative elections , the party won 27.0% of the popular vote and 92 out of 360 seats in the House of Representatives and 27 out of 109 seats in the Senate...
(ANPP) due to a factional split. His election was financed by Ali Modu Sheriff
Ali Modu Sheriff
Ali Modu Sheriff was elected governor of Borno State in Nigeria in April 2003. He is a member of the All Nigeria People's Party .Ali Sheriff was the first governor in Borno state to win the seat two consecutive times.-Background:...
, who became Senator for Borno Central.
In August 2000, Borno State decided to adopt Sharia
Sharia
Sharia law, is the moral code and religious law of Islam. Sharia is derived from two primary sources of Islamic law: the precepts set forth in the Quran, and the example set by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the Sunnah. Fiqh jurisprudence interprets and extends the application of sharia to...
law. Mala Kachalla reassured Christians by emphasising that Sharia, which includes punishments like amputation and flogging, would only apply to Muslims.
In February 2001, he established a Sharia Implementation Committee, which investigated the practical steps involved in introducing Sharia
Sharia
Sharia law, is the moral code and religious law of Islam. Sharia is derived from two primary sources of Islamic law: the precepts set forth in the Quran, and the example set by the Islamic prophet Muhammad in the Sunnah. Fiqh jurisprudence interprets and extends the application of sharia to...
law in the state.
After receiving the report, Mala Kachalla said the Sharia legal system would come into force in June 2001. Applying only to Muslims, the laws would ban gambling, alcohol and prostitution, among other vices.
In February 2002, riots broke out in Lagos
Lagos
Lagos is a port and the most populous conurbation in Nigeria. With a population of 7,937,932, it is currently the third most populous city in Africa after Cairo and Kinshasa, and currently estimated to be the second fastest growing city in Africa...
between Hausa and Yoruba groups, during which houses were destroyed and over 100 people died, including women and children. Mala Kachalla met with the Lagos State
Lagos State
Lagos State is an administrative division of Nigeria, located in the southwestern part of the country. The smallest in area of Nigeria's states, Lagos State is the most populous state in Nigeria and arguably the most economically important state of the country and west Africa, containing Lagos, the...
governor Bola Tinubu
Bola Tinubu
Bola Ahmed Tinubu was elected Senator for the Lagos West constituency in Lagos State, Nigeria in 1993, just before a military take-over in December 1993. After the return to democracy, he was elected governor of Lagos State, holding office from 29 May 1999 to 29 May 2007...
and broadcast appeals to both sides to end the violence.
In September 2002 Mala Kachalla said there were conflicting border claims in the Lake Chad
Lake Chad
Lake Chad is a historically large, shallow, endorheic lake in Africa, whose size has varied over the centuries. According to the Global Resource Information Database of the United Nations Environment Programme, it shrank as much as 95% from about 1963 to 1998; yet it also states that "the 2007 ...
area, and that Nigeria was losing control of some island villages there. He said there was no clear cut demarcation between Borno, Chad
Chad
Chad , officially known as the Republic of Chad, is a landlocked country in Central Africa. It is bordered by Libya to the north, Sudan to the east, the Central African Republic to the south, Cameroon and Nigeria to the southwest, and Niger to the west...
and Cameroon
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
, and that the region was plagued by armed rebels and trafficking in illicit arms and children.
In November 2001 police fired at workers in Maiduguri protesting against the withholding of their wages, a breach of a previous pay agreement. The Borno State Police Commissioner imposed a state of emergency.
According to the Nigeria Labour Congress
Nigeria Labour Congress
Nigeria Labour Congress is an umbrella organisation for trade unions in Nigeria. It was founded in 1978 following a merger of four different organisations: Nigeria Trade Union Congress , Labour Unity Front , United Labour Congress and Nigeria Workers Council . The numerous affiliated unions were...
President in Borno State, when Mala Kachalla left office leave grant had not been paid for two years, health and hotel workers were on strike, shoe factory workers could not get their terminal benefits and even pensioners had outstanding arrears.
Later career
Before the April 2003 elections, it became clear that Ali Modu Sheriff would be the ANPP candidate for governor rather than Kachalla.Kachalla left the ANPP and joined the Alliance for Democracy
Alliance for Democracy (Nigeria)
The Alliance for Democracy was a progressive opposition political party in Nigeria. It was formed on September 9th 1998. At the 2003 legislative elections, 12 April 2003, the party won 8.8 % of the popular vote and 34 out of 360 seats in the Nigerian House of Representatives and six out of...
(AD).
He was defeated by Ali Modu Sheriff.
In February 2006, Kachalla changed parties again, joining the People's Democratic Party
People's Democratic Party (Nigeria)
The People's Democratic Party is a political party in Nigeria. Its policies generally lie towards the right wing of the political spectrum. It has won every single Presidential elections since 1999, namely: 1999, 2003, 2007, and 2011, and is the dominant party in the Fourth Republic.-History:In...
(PDP).
Kachalla died at his home in Maiduguri on 18 April 2007, after a brief illness.
He was 66 years old.