₦airaland Forum

A Federal High Court, Abuja, on Tuesday, granted a prayer by the Department of State Services (DSS) to detain the former terrorists’ negotiator, Tukur Mamu, for 60 more days.

Justice Nkeonye Maha, in a short ruling on the ex-parte motion moved by counsel for the DSS, Ahmed Magaji, granted the motion as prayed.

The security outfit, in the motion marked: FHC/ABJ/CS/1617/2022 dated and filed Sept. 12, had urged the court to grant its reliefs to enable it conclude its investigation on Mamu, who had been leading the negotiation with the terrorists for the release of the Abuja-Kaduna train passengers kidnaped in March.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that Mamu was, on Sept. 6, arrested in Cairo, capital of Egypt, with his family members by foreign security agents.

Mamu, who was on his way to Saudi Arabia for lesser Hajj, was detained at Cairo International Airport before being repatriated back to Nigeria.

The DSS had, on Sunday, warned Nigerians over making comments on its arrest of Mamu.

The DSS, in a statement by its Spokesman, Peter Afunaya, asked the public to leave the agency alone and allow it to concentrate on the investigations which it said the outcomes had been “mindboggling.”

This come hours after the Islamic cleric, Sheik Gumi, to whom Mamu is an aide, had faulted the arrest of the negotiator.

Gumi, at a religious gathering on Friday in Kaduna, had asked the security agency to charge Mamu to court of it had any evidence against him, rather than keeping him in custody.

Reacting in its statement, the security outfit said, “The DSS has followed, with keen observation, overzealous comments by sections of the public in view of issues relating to the arrest and investigation of Tukur Mamu.”

“The service wishes to state that it is not distracted with some of the skewed narratives pervading the media space. Instead, it requests to be left alone to concentrate on the ongoing investigations, the outcomes of which have remained mindboggling.”

“Meanwhile, the service will cease further comments on the subject matter since the court will determine its course.

“Consequently, the public is hereby enjoined to desist from making unguarded utterances and await the court proceedings.”

Yet-to-be identified number of Aides of Senator Ifeanyi Ubah, including Police operatives were, on Sunday, killed at Enugwu-Ukwu community in Njikoka local government area of Enugu State as unknown gunmen attacked the convoy of the Anambra South lawmaker.

Sources said the gunmen opened fire on the convoy, and police operatives in the convoyed responded, but about six policemen were gunned down.

A video of the attack showed the lifeless bodies of murdered policemen in about four of the vehicles in the convoy of the federal lawmaker.

Iyke Orji, a social media user wrote: “Sen Ifeanyi Ubah was attacked today by hired killers in Enugwu Ukwu. It was a calculated attempt. It wasn’t an impromptu stuff.

“Information was gathered about the time of movement and takeoff. The policemen were about four in numbers and they were attacked.

“All their arms were collected.The boys that spearheaded that attack were about nine in numbers.”

But another source who begged not to be named said six policemen were killed in the attack.

Ifeanyi Ubah

Senator Ubah could not be reached for confirmation as his line remained busy all through at press time.

The spokesperson of the Enugu State police command, DSP Toochukwu Ikenga, confirmed the attack but insisted that the casualty figure remained unknown.

He said: “Yes, there was an attack at Enugwu-Ukwu today, but the casualty figure is not clear. As I speak to you, the CP has personally led a team of men to the scene, and normalcy has been restored.”

He promised to brief journalists on the findings of the Command.

Ayu to Wabara: PDP needs your diplomatic skills now

The PDP National Chairman, Dr. Iyorchia Ayu, has described the new Chairman of the PDP Board of Trustees (BoT), Sen. Wabara, as an elder statesman of immense preparation, saying the party needs his diplomatic skills at this material time.

He, therefore, implored the new BoT chairman to use his diplomatic experience by reaching all aggrieved party members, with a view to presenting a united front against the ruling APC, Come 2023.

Ayu said this today when he led members of the PDP National Working Committee (NWC) on a condolence visit to Sen. Adolphus Wabara. The former Senate President emerged as the acting Chairman of the party's BoT following the resignation of Amb. Walid Jibrin, yesterday. He also lost his wife recently.

Ayu, himself a former Senate President, disclosed to the acting BoT chairman that the leadership of the party has agreed to travel to Port Harcourt early next week to meet with the Rivers State Governor, His Excellency, Nyesom Wike, for full reconciliation; and because of other preplanned engagements, the Deputy Chairman (North), Amb. Iliya Damagun, will be leading other members of the NWC on the trip.

The national chairman also used the opportunity of the condolence visit to thank Wabara for the Vote of Confidence passed on the party's leadership by both the BoT and the National Executive Council (NEC), which met yesterday and affirmed the party's unity among other things.

His words: "The confidence reposed in the NWC is an encouragement that the party should unite and be one strong family.

"To read the outcome of yesterday's meeting as one group being victorious over another will be erroneous. We are all winners.

"My understanding is that the party wants unity. Thankfully you can play the role of a unifier even better with your immense preparation as a diplomat, former Member House Of Representatives, former senator and ex-Senate President who had worked with this party for a long period of time."

Further speaking, Ayu said: "I am calling on you to lead the effort in reaching out to all our aggrieved members.

"You have the full support of myself, the candidate and the whole NWC to reach out to Governor Wike, all the governors and any person who is aggrieved, and appeal to them, plead with them to come back and let's work together in the PDP family.

"If we do not win next year's general election, Nigerians will be very very disappointed, the hope of Nigeria is on us.

"As the new BoT Chairman with diplomatic experience. We implore you to use your diplomatic skills to reach out to all aggrieved members and I am telling you that it is with our full support including that of the Presidential candidate and Vice-Presidential Candidate who called me 30 minutes before we got here."

He added: "You have our support. The entire BoT should select and reach out to them. We are appealing that they should come back and let us work together.

"I want to also reveal to you that the NWC under the leadership of the Deputy National Chairman, Amb. Iliya Damagun, will be going to see not only Gov. Wike but every other person who is aggrieved. It is the unanimous decision of the NWC and we think that your leading the fight for peace and full reconciliation in the party will be helpful.

"There is a time for anger and there's a time for the anger to stop. So help us to reach out to all aggrieved members try and heal the party with your new role as the party Chairman of the BoT."

Responding, the acting BoT Chairman, Sen. Adolphus Wabara, thanked the national chairman and other members of the NWC, saying he was overwhelmed with the show of goodwill, support and sympathy.

His words: "I appreciate you all. We will work together to ensure the party wins in 2023."

Members of the NWC, who accompanied the national chairman included: the National Secretary, the National Treasurer, the National Auditor, the National Publicity Secretary, and the National Woman Leader.

Simon Imobo-Tswam
(Special Adviser to the National Chairman on Media and Communications.

The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) has dragged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) before Justice Hadiza Shagari of a Federal High Court sitting in Kaduna seeking the sack of governorship and state assembly candidates of All Progressives Congress (APC) for 2023 election.

NNPP is challenging the list of APC candidates for governorship and state assembly seats as published by INEC on July 22, for the General Election.

According to NNPP, the candidates did not emerge through a legal process or due process as prescribed by the Electoral Act and other extant laws.

The party is, therefore, asking the court to compel INEC to do the right thing by removing the candidates of the APC from the list of eligible candidates for the 2023 General Elections in Kaduna State.

The case, which came up for mention in Kaduna on Friday, was adjourned to Sept. 15 on the grounds that all the parties were yet to be served by INEC on the critical documents and processes that it had filed to the court.

The NNPP’s lead counsel, Wole Agunbiade, SAN, had told the court that he was yet to be served by INEC.

However, APC Lead Counsel, Sule Shuaibu said he was served but needed more time to process all the documents and thereafter appealed for time to file his motions.

Counsel to INEC, Halima Gachi, had earlier told the court that she was not certain that all the parties were served, explaining that she took over the case from her colleague in the office.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has said it would continue to defer to the report of its team which monitored the All Progressives Congress Yobe North senatorial district primary.

Checks revealed that the Senate President, Ahmad Lawan is locked in battle with Bashir Sheriff Machina for the ticket believed to have been won by the latter.

While INEC continued to maintain that Machina emerged as a candidate in the primary monitored by its staff, the APC had claimed that Senate President emerged as a candidate in a rescheduled primary conducted on June 9, 2022.

Checks revealed that Machina had since filed a suit before a Federal High Court, Damaturu to challenge the APC National Working Committee decision.

Machina, is contending that efforts to replace his name with Lawan’s, who did not participate in the primary of the APC, was a breach of Section 84(14) of the Electoral Act, 2022, Article 21.3 of the APC Constitution and Paragraphs 20 (c), 27 (c), (d) and (f) of the APC Guidelines for the Nomination of Candidates for the 2023 General Elections, the suit is not premature, and Section 223 (1) of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (as amended).

In an apparent reference to the subsisting case in a statement on Thursday, Festus Okoye, National Commissioner and Chairman, Information and Voter Education Committee, declared that a certain counter affidavit purportedly filed in the Federal High Court, Damaturu Judicial Division relating to the Yobe North Senatorial District primary election was contrary to report of its monitoring team.

The commission restated its earlier position that APC has no candidate for Yobe North since it has refused to submit the name of the candidate that won the primary to the commission.

It said: “Notwithstanding the matter in court and without prejudice to the consideration or likely outcome of the case in court, the commission reiterates its earlier position that it stands by the report of its monitoring team and it was on the basis of that report that the commission did not publish the name and personal particulars of any candidate for the Yobe North Senatorial District.

“Consequently, the commission will review its quality assurance protocols, including the preview by appropriate ranking officials of all processes filed on its behalf to ascertain their correctness in all material particulars with all reports and all information at its disposal before their presentation so that a situation like this is not repeated.

“The commission has also instructed the external counsel briefed to handle this matter to reflect the correct position, which aligns with the report submitted by our monitoring team.”

Governor Nyesom Wike of Rivers State on Thursday insisted that Iyorchia Ayu must step down as the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party.

Wike said the presidential candidate of the PDP, Atiku Abubakar, told him in person when he won the May primary that Ayu must vacate his position as party chairman.

The governor said the resignation of Walid Jibril as the Board of Trustees chairman won’t stop his demand for Ayu’s removal.

According to Wike, the issue at hand is that of justice and fairness, saying having produced the presidential candidate of the party, the north should not also hold on to the chairmanship of the party.

“This fight we will fight it to the end,” the governor spoke when he commissioned the Ahoada Campus of the Rivers State University in the Ahoada East Local Government Area of the state.

Wike was at the occasion alongside his ally, Governor Seyi Makinde of Oyo State.

A good number of security operatives have stormed the national secretariat of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in preparation for the visit of the party’s presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, and his running mate, Senator Kashim Shettima.

Officers spotted were stern-looking and were moving around the premises with their guns.

Tinubu and Shettima are expected to attend an ad hoc meeting of the APC National Working Committee at the secretariat today at 10:00am.

A memo seen by our correspondent issued by the party had directed majority of the party secretariat staff not to resume today as part of measures to control crowd.

Reports had it that the political roundtable would provides an opportunity to discuss Tinubu’s campaign manifesto and restrategise ahead of the political campaign, which kicks off on September 28.

The family of the abducted Divisional Police Officer, DPO of Birnin Gwari, Sani Gyadi-Gyadi, has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari and Inspector-General of Police Alkali Baba to rescue the police officer before the abductors kill him.

DAILY NIGERIAN reports that Mr Gyadi-Gyadi, a chief superintendent of police, was abducted by the bandits in June on his way to his new duty post in the bandit-infested Birnin Gwari Local Government Area of Kaduna State, following a transfer from Pambegua Division.

Speaking with our correspondent at the weekend, a member of the family Adamu Karkasara, said the bandits had threatened to kill the DPO if they failed to pay an N80 million ransom by Wednesday.

He said the terrorists had initially demanded N250 million but reduced it to N80 million after negotiations and pleas.

He added that the family was only able to raise N7 million, which the bandit collected and refused to released the victim.

“It’s been 68 days since the incident happened. We have made several efforts to secure his release, but unfortunately there hasn’t been any breakthrough.

“When they kidnapped him, they requested a N250 million naira ransom, which they later reduced to N150 million, and now 80 million naira non-negotiable.

“Through the intervention of relatives and some friends, we were able to raise N7million. We took the money to them, but they collected the money, they said it was for feeding, so we should go and complete the balance.

“We pleaded with them and gave them a picture of the situation with the family, but they didn’t listen to our cries.

“We are now in a difficult situation. This man is a police officer who has been serving this nation for over 20 years. And he’s been a great officer, receiving accolades wherever he served.

“Unfortunately, he has found himself in this situation, and I can’t remember any efforts made by the police on this matter.

“Our brother who was living with him in Kaduna has been running from pillar to post to meet with all concerned authorities, but nothing positive has happened.

“We have visited the commissioner of police’s office more than three times, yet nothing tangible has come out,” he said.

The family, therefore, appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari, and the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, to intervene and ensure the safe release of their breadwinner.

“Our brother is in a very terrible situation. The bandits called us yesterday, and we pleaded with them again to please pity us, but they threatened to kill him. They said we have been deceiving them with failed promises.

“Now they have given us the grace of Wednesday and have threatened to kill him if we didn’t meet their demand before the day,” he said in an emotional-laden voice.

When DAILY NIGERIAN contacted the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Muyiwa Adejobi, for a response on the matter, he referred our correspondent to the spokesman for the Kaduna State Police Command, Mohammed Jalige.

Mr Jalinge, a deputy superintendent of police, told our correspondent that the command was not resting on its oars to rescue the DPO.

“Operationally, the command is on top of the situation, and be rest assured that we will be successful. There will be a light at the end of the tunnel.

When reminded that the bandits have threatened to kill the DPO by Wednesday, Mr Jalinge further expressed optimism that something positive would happen soon.

My attention has been drawn to mischievous and senseless posts on social media.

One post, (from one Lawal Garba, but purporting to be from me states that I say I cannot  talk to a man who "cannot father a child!"

Another post, with a photograph of Wike and a lady with some children (from Igbere TV) claims that the governor is not "the biological father of his three kids."

Nothing can be more diabolical, senseless and amateurish. Descending so low is neither in my character nor nature.

Those planting these stories against the PDP and myself are simply showing their lack of intelligence.

I state, categorically and without equivocation, that the posts are completely false. Even the inelegant construction of the posts puts them beneath my personality.

I never said anything after Wike’s statements the other day and do not intend to say anything in response.

The Ogun State governorship candidate of the Peoples Redemption Party, Prof. David Bamgbose, is dead, six days after he announced himself as the party’s candidate.

Bamgbose reportedly died at the Sacred Heart hospital, Lantoro, Abeokuta, after a brief illness, Friday morning.

Bamgbose’s death was confirmed by his personal assistant and Asst. Senior Pastor of Peace and Love Church, Mr Oduntan Olayemi.

He explained that Bamgbose had complained of tiredness a day earlier, and was taken to hospital around Olomore, where he was referred to Federal Medical Central, Abeokuta.

He was then admitted at Lantoro where he was given oxygen till today (Friday).

“He complained of tiredness yesterday and we decided to take him to an hospital around Olomore. We were referred to the FMC for further checks

“We opted for the state hospital, Lantoro because of the urgency and he was admitted at the emergency ward where he was administer oxygen till today (Friday).

“I got back to the hospital this morning and I met him breathing too fast and heavy. I was at where I went to get him some prescribed medication that he has passed on”, Olayemi narrated.

Prof. Bamgbose is survived by his wife, Mary Bamgbose and six children.

Bamgbose had recently dumped the Peoples Democratic Party over allegation of taking away the PDP Ogun West Senatorial ticket from him.

The National and States Assembly Election Petition Trial Tribunal sitting in High Court 4, Jos on Friday, nullified the election of Hon. Musa Avia Aggah of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The Court held that Hon. Agah was not validly nominated by the PDP for the Bye-Election conducted on February 26, 2022.

The Court also declared Agah did not score the highest valid votes in the election.

Today, my team and I met with the various European Union ambassadors to Nigeria at the @EUinNigeria secretariat in Abuja. It was a robust discussion with focus on the next phase for Nigeria politically and the success of the 2023 election, amongst others.

Not only is unity in Nigeria critical, but partnership with the EU is necessary for Nigeria to reach its full potential.

In addition, I shared my vision of a greater Nigeria and gave them an insight into my socio-economic and political agenda for our country.

On its part, the EU assured of technical support to Nigeria, primarily to @inecnigeria and the observation and monitoring of the elections. -AA

1998 - $750m (Family)
2000 - $64m (Switzerland)
2002 - $1.2b (Family)
2003 - $88m (Switzerland)
2003 - $160m (Jersey)
2005 - $461.3m (Switzerland)
2006 - $44.1m (Switzerland)
2014 - $227m (Liechtenstein)
2018 - $322m (Switzerland)
2020 - $311.7m (USA)
2022 - $23m (USA)

The crisis in the All Progressives Congress (APC), Oyo State chapter, has taken a new twist, as aggrieved members are adamant on their resolve to shun the gubernatorial candidate of the party, Sen. Teslim Folarin (Oyo Central), in the coming election.

The aggrieved members, who all vied for the party’s gubernatorial ticket in the primary that produced Folarin, include Adebayo Adelabu, Akeem Agbaje, Azeez Adeduntan, Hakeem Alao and Adeniyi Akintola.

Folarin had polled 954 votes to defeat his closest rival, Chief Adebayo Adelabu, fondly called Penkelemes. Though Adelabu had gone on to join the Accord Party (AP), which gave him its ticket, the remaining APC aspirants have advised their followers against supporting Folarin.

Despite the intervention of Asiwaju Bola Tinubu, the APC Presidential candidate in the crisis, the aspirants are adamant that the process that threw up Folarin was flawed and manipulated, urging their followers to support other governorship candidates of their choice in the state.

In a meeting with Oyo party delegates, Tinubu told Folarin that the governorship election is not a child’s play, hence, the need to visit the aggrieved party leaders’ houses, even at midnight, to reconcile and forge unity ahead of general elections.

“I want to tell you this: those of you having bickering amongst you must all come together and ensure it all ends. Let the crisis end immediately or you all lose the election,” he said.

Tinubu urged Folarin to work “seriously to mend the entire broken fence. He must seek out elders to help him implore those who contested the ticket with him so all factions could be brought together as one.

“The party is divided into two; he must work to unite all aggrieved. We shall support him if he could be humble, pray and beg all concerned.”

Despite the interventions, a group in Oyo State, which identified itself as Oyo Kajola Group (OKG), and claimed to be Akintola’s support group, has joined the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Oke Ogun and Oyo zones of the state, stating that they have taken the wisest decision.

The group, which also hailed Akintola for his political style and uprightness, said it was not surprising that the senior lawyer has come under criticism from his party members, who abhor the home truths about Oyo politics.

According to the group, Akintola had shown himself as a principled professional in politics and a true progressive by engaging in constructive criticism of some programmes of the Governor Seyi Makinde-led government, while also praising the administration for those programmes and policies he finds commendable.

The group said that Akintola has distinguished himself as a politician with a difference when he openly relayed the account of his encounter with some prominent Oke Ogun leaders, who have told him that the APC was engaging in a wild goose chase by contesting against Makinde in 2023.

A statement by the OKG’s Media Coordinator, Adebayo Ayandele, said the decision by Akintola’s supporters and many others across the state to leave the APC has weakened the party the more, while the ruling PDP has been strengthened ahead of the 2023 general elections.

Speaking with The Guardian, Akintola maintained that the next general election would be based on personality and has resolved not to support Folarin.

He, however, pledged his unalloyed support for the presidential candidate, Tinubu, adding that he will not decamp to the PDP no matter the propaganda that is being spread around about his defection.

“Myself and some of the APC aspirants have resolved to support Tinubu for the presidency. We have three resolutions, the first is that we vote for Tinubu, the second, don’t vote for Teslim and the third is that we remain in APC. I will never go to the PDP. Though we have differences in the APC, we are still members of the party.

“Some of our supporters are supporting the incumbent governor, Seyi Makinde, and while others are supporting Adelabu. The way Folarin emerged was not progressive and whether he wins the governorship election or not is my business. My business is for Asiwaju Tinubu to win the presidential election,” he said.

When asked if there wouldn’t be a miscalculation by his followers in the general election, he said: “The elections are not coming up the same day. Though Folarin might want to hide under the guise of Tinubu, we have removed the carpet under his feet. He is not marketable.”

However, Alao, in a chat with The Guardian said that even though there is a crisis in the party, he has let by-gone be by-gone and pledged his support for Folarin.

“It’s true that the primary that produced Folarin as the candidate was flawed and the crisis did not start at the primary, it started at the congress that produced the executives of the party.

“But I am a progressive and the election has come and gone, I have no choice but to support my party’s candidate. It will be a disadvantage if I support another party’s candidate. What happened pained me, but it must be left in the past. If we are going to right the wrongs at the party, we have to be there to do it. I cannot go and support another party’s candidate and I have told my followers to toe this path,” Alao said.

The APC chieftain maintained that there is also a need for APC members in the state to come together in unity to attain victory in the 2023 general elections.

Restating his commitment to the party, he stressed that the defeat of the party in Osun State should be of concern to all party members and must not be allowed to happen in Oyo State.

“I can only appeal to all of us that are aggrieved one way or the other to have a rethink and collectively work for the party such that we would not only deliver victory for our presidential candidate, Asiwaju Tinubu but also win the other elections, governorship, three senatorial seats, 14 House of Representatives seats and the 32 seats in the state House of Assembly.”

He stressed that victory for all APC candidates from Tinubu to Folarin, as well as those vying for seats in the Senate, House of Representatives and House of Assembly, should be the priority of every member in the state.

Alao pointed out that they cannot afford to let down the people of the state who are already waiting for the party to rescue them from the misgovernance of the present government in the state, adding that the crisis facing the party is better solved from the inside and by insiders, insisting that now is the time for members to reunite for the progress of the party in every part of the state.

Also, former Oyo State Publicity Secretary, Dr. AbdulAzeez Olatunde, said the party would reach out to members by the time campaign starts in October.

“I want to let you know, the majority of those that are saying they would not support the gubernatorial candidate, what is the kind of support base that they have. Everybody has a support base, but how strong is theirs. Democracy is about disagreement. Everyone has the desire to be the candidate of the party but only one person will emerge. The other people who didn’t emerge have the right to be aggrieved; it is now left for the candidate to appeal to them to cooperate with the party.

“But, having gone round, if at the end they still don’t want to support the candidate of the party, heaven will not fall. We will not be blackmailed by anybody. The party will get across to members by the time the campaign starts and I believe they will all support our candidate.”

Governor Makinde’s Chief Press Secretary, Taiwo Adisa, told The Guardian, “it’s true Akintola’s supporters have joined the PDP ahead of 2023 polls. It’s a loss to the APC, obviously. It also means that the division within the ranks of the APC is intractable.”

MEANWHILE, the Oyo State chapter of APC has threatened to expel Akintola from the party. The party accused him of making unguarded statements.

The politician, from Ido Local Government Area, while featuring on a radio programme in Ibadan, the state capital on Saturday, allegedly made some statements, which discredited the party and its gubernatorial candidate in 2023, Senator Teslim Kolawole Folarin.

The APC has now said it would expel Akintola if he continues to de-market the party ahead of 2023.

In a statement signed by Ismail Babatunde, Ward 9 Chairman in Ido Local Government Area, he alleged that the politician is making an attempt to cause disunity in the party.

The APC chairman also alleged that Akintola’s utterances have shown that he is working for the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the State.

“Akintola’s ambition is only to ensure disunity within the ranks of the party to pave the way for the emergence of the PDP 2023 gubernatorial candidate in the State.

“Our attention has been drawn to the series of unguarded utterances made by Chief Niyi Akintola, disregarding the Oyo State All Progressives Congress (APC) and its 2023 governorship candidate, Senator Teslim Folarin while featuring on a radio programme in Ibadan on Saturday.

“Akintola’s anti-party acts, in addition to his documented unholy transactions, are enough to recommend his expulsion from the party; nonetheless, we will not rush to initiate the process. Instead, we are strongly warning him to retrace his missteps.

“If Akintola does not maintain decorum and heed this warning, we will not hesitate to recommend his expulsion from APC before he causes irreparable harm to the party and its candidates.”

The Police have arrested AIT correspondent in Gombe State, North-East Nigeria, Chika Udenkwo along with other journalists while covering demolition of the campaign office of the opposition Peoples Democratic Party, PDP in the State.

Authorities of the Gombe State Government demolished the campaign office of the PDP Governorship candidate, Jibrin Barde in company of heavily armed policemen.

The armed policemen cordoned off the road leading to the PDP campaign office before bulldozers of the Gombe State Government carried out the demolition.


The State Government had earlier attempted to demolish the office building which was resisted by PDP supporters and resulted in a court case.

Journalists covering the demolition have been arrested by the police while carrying out their legitimate duties and taken to the Pantami Divisional Police Station in the state capital.

Police reportedly say AIT correspondent, Chika Udenkwo and the other arrested journalists will not be released until Gombe State Governor, Inuwa Yahaya gives such orders.