An All Progressives Congress(APC) in Zamfara State led by Senator Kabiru Garba Marafa has tasked security agencies to tackle the growing activities of thugs in the state before it becomes uncontrollable.
The appeal was made in Gusau by the publicity secretary of the faction, Bello Bakyasuwa during a press conference.
Bakyasuwa said he was specifically appealing to the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Ayuba Elkanah to take adequate measures to tackle the trend of thuggery creeping into the state and threatening the peace of the state.
He alleged that hired thugs had already begun to attack opposition political parties or those holding different views within the APC or those who attack government policies that affect the masses.
“This is happening even before political rallies ahead of the 2023 general elections in the state”
“I am appealing to the Police Commissioner to as a matter of urgency track, arrest and bring the perpetrators of such attacks to book before they grow out of hand during real rallies”
“Otherwise we will be forced to take the necessary action according to the laws of the land”
“I believe the Commissioner of Police is fully aware of all the incidents and has identified such thugs who are operating under different names and belonging to different political groups”
Bakyasuwa insisted that the police commissioner must not allow himself to be used under whatever guise by politicians as it may boomerang on him.
He lamented that the chairman of the social media forum of the Senator Marafa’s faction of the APC, Shamsu Shehu, popularly known as Shamsu Kasida was attacked by hoodlums who, by all manifestations are political thugs”
“Specifically, on Friday, January 14 2022, Kasida was attacked at a point directly opposite the Government House in Gusau by yet to be identified political thugs”
“He was injured and his vehicle was vandalized by the thugs who later ran into the Government House where they comfortably took refuge”
“It remains a fact that the organized political thugs who attacked Kasida are well known to us”
“They are just tools being used by political groups within the APC but we want to say, as peace-loving party loyalists, this must stop”
“The law enforcement agencies must act before it escalates,” he added.
“The police are aware just of recent a media house was attacked in Gusau and all these are happening under the nose of the security agencies in our state”
“During our local government congress in December last year, some political thugs attacked our people who were only exercising their constitutional responsibility”
He said a similar attack was carried out against the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) during their state congress in Gusau, saying that the security forces are aware of all these and those responsible.
