LIVE UPDATES
Unrest broke out in Bauchi State, Nigeria on Wednesday when thugs from a political party attacked members of the opposition party and innocent citizens. Reports suggest that one person was killed, and at least fifteen others were injured during the incident, which happened in Duguri, a town in the Alkaleri Local Government Area of the State.
The chaos started after the governorship candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar, visited the area for a rush-hour campaign. The Bauchi State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) accused the APC camp of unleashing thugs on its members and innocent residents during the electioneering activity.
The State PDP Campaign Council Director General, Farouk Mustapha, alleged that APC thugs invaded Duguri on Wednesday and attacked its members. He lamented the frequent attacks on members of the PDP in the state, which he said has become a source of concern for the people.
Speaking to journalists, Mustapha said, “Today is one of the saddest days in the political history of Bauchi State; all of the gubernatorial candidates of the various parties signed the peace accord at the State Police Command headquarters with all security agencies as it has been the practice in every election year.”
He further added, “However, the candidate of the APC, Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar rtd was conspicuously absent, only his Deputy candidate was in attendance, showing no respect for peace and harmony to reign in Bauchi state.”
The APC gubernatorial candidate moved into Duguri with thousands of political thugs, conventional and non-commercial security outfits, who were well-armed, according to Mustapha. He alleged that the APC gang leaders who led Wednesday’s thuggery unleashed terror and intimidation on the people of Duguri Town.
Mustapha also claimed that the thugs chanted abusive words, broke all PDP billboards carrying the sitting Governor's pictures, burnt down buses, PDP offices, and Keke NAPEP. The barbaric act, which was resisted by the people of Duguri, led the thugs and even security personnel to open fire on unarmed and innocent people.
The politician further added that the thugs left several people injured with various degrees of injuries, killing one person, Mal Maiunguwa Shata. Mustapha urged PDP members across the state, who are peace lovers, to refrain from embarking on reprisals. He noted that the governorship campaign council is doing everything legally possible to bring the perpetrators of this heinous crime to justice.
Reacting to the allegations against its party by the PDP camp, the APC issued a statement saying its governorship candidate was attacked in Duguri by some suspected hired thugs using dane guns. The statement further said that eyewitnesses revealed that sounds of sporadic shootings were heard around the premises where the campaign lecture was being held, which made the security operatives at the venue rush to the scene of the shootings.
Salisu A Barau, the Director of Media and Publicity for the APC in Bauchi State, claimed that, in an attempt to disarm the thugs and retrieve the guns from them, three people were shot: one Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps; one from a vigilance group and one from the hunters union. The NSCDC operatives recovered two dane guns from the thugs while others escaped with their guns. The victims who sustained gunshot injuries are receiving medical attention at ATBU Teaching Hospital, Bauchi, Barau added.
When contacted on the incident, the Bauchi State Police Command PPRO, SP Ahmed Wakili, told reporters that security personnel were among those affected by the attack. He further added that investigations are ongoing, and the police will ensure that the culprits are brought to book
