South West Support Group Condemns Attack On Atiku’s Team In Borno

A group, South West Media Outreach for Atiku Abubakar, has condemned last week’s attack on the campaign train of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, in Maiduguri, the Borno State capital.

The group described the incident as an ominous signal ahead of the 2023 general elections.

Suspected political thugs had pelted the convoy with stones and dangerous weapons and injured some PDP supporters and journalists.

They also destroyed several vehicles on the Atiku entourage

In a reaction to the incident yesterday, South West Media Outreach for Atiku Abubakar, in a press statement signed by its coordinator, Mr. Kola Ilori, declared the attack as sinister and irresponsible.

It said the attack on the Atiku’s train, particularly on innocent journalists, who were on official assignment was a bad omen for democracy and socio-political development of the country.

According to him, it is strange that the Borno State Police Command denied the incident, in spite of the audio and visual evidence-based evidence of the attack.

Although the inspector-general of police has debunked the claims of his men in Borno State by instituting a panel to investigate the attack, which goes to show that there are dangers ahead of the 2023 elections.

“It is incumbent on the police and other security agencies to brace up and ensure that campaigns are not marred by violence of any form”, the group warned.

The rush by the Borno State Police to deny events that were trending on social media has further damaged the police as capable of neutrality in the coming elections.

He said,”The signals from Borno State portends danger that should not be swept under the carpet, and this is why the outcome of intervention by the IGP should restore the confidence that the 2023 elections would be violence free.”

The group therefore commended the presidential candidate of the PDP, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, for his “demonstrated statesmanship, as a man of peaceful disposition by urging his supporters in Borno State not to retaliate.”