The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in Borno State has disowned its senatorial candidate in the 2023 election for Borno Central senatorial district, Atom Magira, who was detained by the state’s Police command.
Magira’s personal assistant, Mohammed Yahaya, who confirmed the detention of Magira, said he was taken into custody by operatives of the Borno State Police Command on Sunday night over alleged criticism of Borno State Governor, Babagana Umara Zulum.
However, reacting over the detention, chairman of NNPP in Borno, Barr Mustapha Mohammed, said the embattled politician resigned from the party over a month ago, adding that Magira has since left the party.
He further said as a lawyer, what the detained former NNPP chieftain did which was addressing himself as “His Excellency” and erecting a billboard calling for a merger was an offence of impersonation and breaking of electoral law.
“Atom Magira is no longer a member of our party. He left the party over a month ago. So there is no chieftain of the NNPP in police custody in Borno,” he said.
Meanwhile, all efforts to reach Magira on phone to confirm his predicament was not successful as his two mobile phones were not reachable.
Magira, a former All Progressives Congress (APC) gubernatorial aspirant in the 2019 elections, is known as a leading opposition figure in the state. He has been vocal in challenging Governor Zulum’s policies.
Sources said his detention is linked to a billboard sponsored by supporters of the “YES TO MERGER” campaign, which called for a merger of political parties in the state.
The billboard, featuring Magira’s image and the slogan “Say Yes To Merger,” was reportedly destroyed by unidentified individuals.
“It is on the orders of the state government. They don’t want a serious opposition in the state. Whoever will do that will be crippled; that’s the norm since 1999, but Magira has remained consistent to offer a credible and constructive opposition in Borno State,” a source alleged.
As of Monday morning, Magira remains in detention, with no clarity on whether he will be charged to court.
Efforts to reach ASP Nahum Kenneth Daso, the Police Public Relations Officer, for comment were unsuccessful.
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