The Bauchi State Police Command has confirmed that 14 persons sustained varying degrees of injury in Duguri community of Alkaleri local government area of the State, following violent clash between supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).
LEADERSHIP gathered that violence ensued between the two warring parties when APC gubernatorial candidate, Ambassador Sadique Baba Abubakar, visited the community on a campaign tour.
LEADERSHIP reports that Duguri is the country home of the incumbent Bauchi State governor, Bala Abdulkadir Mohammed, who is also the PDP candidate in the March 18 governorship election.
Confirming the incident, Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Ahmed Muhammed Wakil, said, “Today (Thursday), APC gubernatorial candidate went ut on a rally at about 17.45hrs, while in Duguri Village, under Yuli-Yin Ward, Alkaleri Local Government Area, violence ensued during the rally in which 14 people were injured. Among the 14 injured, six were taken to Primary Health Care Center in Duguri, they were treated and discharged.”
He added that among the eight persons treated and discharged were Suleiman Adamu, Danlami Musa, Kabiru Sani, Rabi, Abdulrasheed Bala, and Tanko Wakilin Pawa, all residents of Duguri village.
“Eight others were seriously injured, they were referred to the General Hospital, Alkaleri. Because of the severity of the injuries, the doctor could only attend to one Mohammed Abdullahi, who is also a resident of that Duguri.
“The remaining seven were transferred from the General Hospital Alkaleri to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Teaching Hospital, Bauchi for medical treatment.
“Among them that were attacked are part of the personnel and some of them were part of the entourage attached to His Excellency’s entourage. Some of them were Civil Defense Corp Members but their details were not yet made available to us. Furthermore, two Sharon Galaxy buses were damaged,” the PPRO added.
Reacting to the incident, Director-General of Bauchi State PDP Campaign Council, Farouk Mustapha, alleged that APC thugs burned a PDP office in Duguri and dismantled all billboards carrying the image of Governor Bala Mohammed.
“The APC gang leaders who led today’s thuggery unleashed terror, intimidation on the people of Duguri Town, they were chanting abusive words and breaking all PDP billboards carrying His Excellency’s pictures. Buses, PDP offices and Keke NAPEP were all burnt down by the thugs.This barbaric act which was resisted by the good people of Duguri led the thugs and even the security personnel to open fire on unarmed and innocent people of Duguri.
“The Campaign Council is calling upon all our followers across the state who are peace lovers to refrain from embarking on reprisal as the Council is doing everything legally possible to bring the perpetrators of this heinous crime to justice. Therefore, the Council is calling on the Police, DSS to investigate, and arrest the culprits and bring them to prosecution.
“The Council is also calling on the Military and Police, especially the Ministry of Defence to end the use of their personnel illegally unleashing terror on the people of Bauchi State all in the name of seeking for the exalted office of the Governor of Bauchi State by the APC gubernatorial candidate in the forthcoming election,” he said
On his part, the Head of Media and Publicity, Bauchi State APC Gubernatorial Campaign Council, Salisu Ahmed Wakos, denied the allegation that security details attached to the APC candidate fired shots at innocent people in Duguri.
“It is illogical for someone who is looking for votes from citizens of the state to be killing them. This is not the first time that this kind of allegation is being heaped on our candidate and the truth of the matter is glaring to everybody,” he stated.
