Suspected gunmen have reportedly attacked the convoy of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate in Sokoto State, Manir Muhammad Dan’iya, with the politician escaping without injuries.
The attack occurred on Friday night, October 30, around the Sultan Abubakar III International Airport, shortly after Dan’iya saw off former governor of the state and Senator representing Sokoto South, Aminu Waziri Tambuwal.
The attackers reportedly fired shots at the convoy, damaging some of the candidate’s bulletproof vehicles. However, Dan’iya was said to have escaped the incident unharmed.
The Sokoto State Police Command acknowledged receiving a report of the incident, with its spokesperson, DSP Ahmad Rufae, confirming that the matter would be addressed and anyone found responsible would be held accountable.
However, details provided by the ADC candidate’s media aide, Aminu Abdullahi, presented a different account of what happened before the shooting.
According to the statement, operatives of the Sokoto Marshal and the state Community Guard allegedly stopped Dan’iya’s convoy and refused to allow it to proceed through the airport area.
The candidate claimed the personnel told his team that they were acting on instructions from their superiors to prevent members of the ADC from entering Sokoto State.
The statement alleged that a disagreement followed after attempts to settle the matter failed, eventually leading to gunshots that damaged the candidate’s armoured vehicles.
It also accused the security personnel of taking two DSS operatives assigned to Dan’iya’s security team into custody.
Expressing concern over the development, the ADC candidate questioned the conduct of the security outfits and warned against using state security structures to frustrate opposition politicians.
He further alleged that his team had noticed suspicious security movements at different entry points into Sokoto earlier in the day, where vehicles identified with the ADC were reportedly prevented from entering the state.
Dan’iya said the development suggested a possible attempt to interfere with the political activities and freedom of movement of opposition members.
“If security personnel can block a gubernatorial candidate, fire gunshots during a confrontation, damage his vehicle and detain officers assigned to his protection, then the people of Sokoto deserve urgent answers.
“No one should be above the law, and no security outfit should be used to threaten political opponents,” Dan’iya was quoted as saying.
Following the incident, the governorship hopeful said he had approached the state Commissioner of Police to officially lodge a complaint and request intervention.
He urged the Inspector-General of Police, the DSS Director-General and other relevant authorities to investigate the circumstances surrounding the attack and establish whether security personnel were acting on unlawful instructions.
He also called for the release of the two DSS officers if they remained in detention and asked investigators to preserve all available evidence, including video recordings, security reports and eyewitness testimonies.
The ADC candidate further called on the Federal Government, lawmakers, human rights organisations and international observers to pay attention to the situation in Sokoto, warning that political intimidation could undermine democratic participation.
He challenged the state government to explain the alleged restrictions placed on ADC members and ensure that security agencies operated without political interference.
“Sokoto is not the property of any government or political party. Every Nigerian has the right to enter the state, move freely and participate in lawful political activities. Any order intended to exclude ADC members from Sokoto would be unacceptable and must be investigated,” he said.
Despite the development, Dan’iya appealed to his supporters to remain peaceful and avoid any action that could trigger further tension.
He insisted that the alleged attack would not force him or his party to abandon their political ambitions, maintaining that they would continue to exercise their democratic rights within the law.
However, the claims made by the ADC candidate had not been independently established as of the time of filing this report.
The Sokoto State Government, Sokoto Marshal and Community Guard had yet to publicly respond to the allegations or provide their versions of the incident.
Meanwhile, further clarification is expected from the police and other security agencies regarding the shooting, the reported damage to the convoy and the alleged arrest of the DSS personnel.