Segun Awofadeji in Bauchi
The Director-General of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Campaign Council in Bauchi State, Hon Faroouk Mustapha, yesterday condemned the reported killing of an innocent person at the gubernatorial campaign rally of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Akuyam town of Misau Local Government Area of the state.
At a press conference held at the Government House in Bauchi, the director-general appealed to relevant security agencies to investigate the matter and ensure justice is done to the deceased.
He denied alleged involvement of the PDP in attacking the APC gubernatorial candidate during his campaign rally in Akuyam district, insisting that the PDP in the state is law-abiding and will never support any kind of attack on opponents.
According to him, “We the PDP campaign council members are saddened by this ugly act, and therefore, we are extending our condolences to the immediate family of the deceased, Akuyam district and the people of Bauchi State.
“We are surprised that the security personnel attached to the APC gubernatorial candidate are intimidating citizens who expressed their views against the APC through the use of ammunition.”
He said the information available to them indicated that the security agents attached to the gubernatorial candidate of the APC, Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar (rtd), fatally shot two people, Saleh Garba, 35, and Yakubu Yunusa, 20, at Akuyam Town in Misau LGA where the APC went for a campaign rally on January 30, 2023.
Mustapha said eye witness account had it that the affected persons were among residents that were only chanting “Ba ma yi, Ba ma yi”, which simply mean, “we are not supporting you, we are not supporting you.”
He said the slang used was meant to show their rejection of the APC and its gubernatorial candidate, saying that as a result, the police attached to the APC governorship candidate found the chant offensive and started positioning themselves in different postures that is more aggressive.
“Suddenly, the overzealous security agents started shooting into the crowd and the bullets struck many people,” he said.
Mustapha said two young persons were hit while others sustained serious gunshot injuries.
“We were equally informed that the rally ended abruptly and the gubernatorial candidate left the venue not minding to see the injured victims,” the campaign DG alleged.
While condoling the family of the deceased, the Akuyam community and the entire people of Bauchi State, the campaign council of the PDP condemned in its totality the use of force by security agents attached to opposition parties in the state.
