One person has been reportedly killed, while several others sustained injuries as a group of political thugs alleged to be supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) clashed in Zamfara state.
NigeriaCrime.com learned that the crisis began after thugs allegedly from the APC camp accused some alleged PDP members of hiring thugs to attack and kill a man and injured 18 others without provocation.
According to APC’s 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.”
Confirming the reports the Zamfara State Police spokesman Muhammad Shehu said a man was killed, while 18 people sustained various degrees of injuries during the bloody encounter.
Shehu added that the Command has since commenced investigation into the killing. He, however, declined further comment on the incident.”
Meanwhile, 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 gubernatorial candidate in the state capital.”