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By Myke Agunwa
The official inauguration of a transition committee jointly set up by opposition parties in Kaduna State to formulate strategies to unseat the State governor, Uba Sani ended up in chaos on Saturday, as thugs suspected to have been sponsored by the government attacked participants and vandalized their property.
The committee was made up of a faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) opposed to the governor, as well as members of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Social Democratic Party (SDP), New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP), Labour Party (LP), and the African Democratic Congress (ADC).
The meeting descended into a chaotic situation when hoodlums armed with cutlasses, clubs, and stones disrupted the proceedings, leaving many participants injured, and vehicles destroyed.
However, the participants fought back, overpowered the attackers and the inauguration continued, though under tense and volatile conditions.
Eyewitnesses expressed outrage at the reported inaction of policemen deployed to the scene, accusing them of complicity in the mayhem.
Former Kaduna State Governor, Mallam Nasir El-Rufai, who was present at the venue, condemned the attack, calling it “a dangerous descent into lawlessness.”
He warned that political thuggery in the state must be stopped, alleging that senior police officers at the scene, including an Assistant Commissioner of Police, “stood by and watched” as the violence unfolded.
“If the authorities don’t end the introduction of thuggery into Kaduna politics, God help us. Nobody has a monopoly on violence or thugs.
“We will take decisive steps to ensure this does not repeat itself,” El-Rufai said.
He also vowed to escalate the matter to the Police Service Commission, claiming that the police had violated their rules of engagement by being aloof and failing to intervene.
Also expressing concerns over the incident, ADC National Vice Chairman (North-West) Jafaru Sani, described the attack as “sad and unfortunate,” noting Kaduna’s long history of political violence.
“We will never be intimidated or forced to retreat. We will continue to pursue our political activities with all the energy and commitment we have,” he added.
Meanwhile, the Kaduna State APC Secretary, Alhaji Yahaya Baba-Pate, denied any involvement by the ruling party, insisting that the APC does not sponsor or support political thuggery.
“The ADC and other opposition groups are free to carry out their activities without harassment,” he said.
The Kaduna State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Mansir Hassan, stated that the command would issue a formal statement regarding the incident.