Political thugs clash in Zamfara,1 killed, many injured

By Editor

One person has been confirmed dead, while several others sustained varied degree of injuries as people believed to be political  thugs alleged to be supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) clashed in Zamfara State.

According to the report, the state  Police command has confirmed the incident in which not fewer than 18 people sustained various degrees of injuries during the bloody encounter. 

"The police spokesman in the state, Muhammad Shehu, said the command has since commenced annvestigation into the killing. He, however, declined further comment on the incident."

"It was learnt that the fight started after thugs allegedly from the APC camp accused some alleged PDP members of hiring thugs to attack and kill one man and injured 18 others without reason."

"The APC’s allegation is contained in a statement issued by the publicity secretary in Gusau, Yusuf Idris."

“The thugs came as the PDP Zamfara governorship candidate’s boys... and shot at innocent youths who were carrying out their monthly sanitation work in the GRA area of Gusau, the Zamfara state capital,” the statement said.

Idris explained that the victims were attacked because they were APC supporters.

"The State Deputy Governor, Hassan Nasiha, was said to have visited the attacked victims at a specialist hospital in Gusau to ascertain their condition."

"Three victims with serious gunshot injuries according to reports, were attended to at the specialist hospital. In his reaction to the incident, Nasiha said the Zamfara government had because of such a situation, earlier announced a halt on campaign activities and rallies by political parties in the state."

"The Deputy Governor stressed that the state government would investigate the matter and resolve the following line of action."

"The PDP, in its response, said its governorship candidate, Dauda Lawal-Dare, only had a small meeting to receive defectors from the 14 local government areas of the state."

"The party’s deputy chairman, Mukhtar Lugga, expressed concern at the activities of some criminal elements who allegedly attacked some PDP youths during the event."

"On the issue of halting rallies as announced by the state government, Mr Lugga said PDP’s activity was within the ambit of the law and in line with the Electoral Act 2022 as amended.

He claimed that two of its youths were reportedly shot in front of the campaign office of PDP’s guber candidate in the state capital."

Meanwhile, a former Minister of Information and PDP  Senatorial candidate in Zamfara State; Ikira Aliyu Bilbis has accused the Zamfara Government of not  following due process in closing down some media houses operating in the state. 

The affected media houses were alleged to have followed the PDP campaign entourage  to some areas in the state where the government had banned political activities .

Ikira Bilbis said in an interview that the Zamfara State Commissioner of Information who was a practicing journalist, knew very well that there was a regulatory agency that was bestowed with the power of closing down erring media houses, contrary to what  the state government had done.

The former Information minister who spoke on a BBC Hausa programme on Sunday, alleged that the action had a political undertone, even as  campaign activities all over the country has begun.