Five persons were on Thursday feared killed and many injured in Taraba during President Muhammadu Buhari’s campaign in the northeastern state. Two were said to be in critical condition.
Governor Ishaku’s convoy was also attacked on its way out of the Danbaba Suntai Airport where he, his deputy Haruna Manu and other officials of the government went to see off the president at the end of his rally.
All of the governor’s posters and billboards and those of Atiku Abubakar in the State capital, Jalingo, were mutilated.
Bala Dan Abu, Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity to Governor Darius Ishaku, who confirmed the incident, condemned the “unfortunate bloodletting” and faulted security agents of negligence of duty.
Abu, who briefed reporters in Government House said: “The deputy governor’s car and several other cars in the convoy, including that of the commissioner of police and a special Adviser to the governor, were damaged.
“The thugs, most of whom were imported from neighbouring states to create the false impression that APC enjoys a large following in the state, came heavily armed.
“They carried guns, cutlasses and sticks, which they displayed openly and in the full glare of security agents who merely looked the other way,” Abu said.
The governor’s media chief also accused the “APC thugs” of going round Jalingo metropolis and destroying PDP posters and billboards.
“They were given cover by the security agencies who fired gunshots to scare away those who may dare to confront them.
“What happened today is a big contrast to the PDP presidential flag-off of February 5 in Jalingo, which attracted a large crowd but recorded no incidence of crisis and deaths.
“Residents of Wukari are still leaking the wounds of the APC violent visitation of January 29, during which PDP posters and bill boards were torn and a member of the PDP killed.
“The Taraba State government will no longer fold its arms while innocent people are being killed and maimed,” Abu said. (The Nation)