The Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, announced yesterday that a team has been formed to thoroughly investigate the attack on the convoy of the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, in Maiduguri, Borno State, yesterday.
Remember that 74 people were injured in the attack, and that over a hundred vehicles in the convoy were vandalised.
The IGP spoke on the same day that the New Nigeria Peoples Party, NNPP, condemned the attack on the PDP presidential candidate in strong terms, requesting that the Abdulsalami Abubakar-led National Peace Committee convene a meeting of political party leaders and presidential candidates to review the Peace Accord signed by all parties.
Borno State police command had said in a statement that the PDP presidential candidate’s convoy was not attacked, adding that the campaign rally held without any incident.
But speaking at the 57th ministerial briefing in Abuja, IGP Alkali-Baba explained that assessment from the Borno State police command PRO might have been too hasty and not conclusive, hence the need to establish a team to make holistic assessment from the various narratives to ascertain the true picture, with a view to preventing a recurrence.
He asserted that campaigns and rallies were being policed and optimal protection given, particularly when prompt information was provided about such political events.
The IGP acknowledged that some aspects of police duties had been commercialized to generate more revenue through the Police Specialized Automated Services, POSSAB, portal but noted that the service had been abused.
He, however, jetissoned the idea that unscrupulous persons could use the portal to gain protection from the police.
Recall that the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, had condemned the attack on the convoy of its presidential candidate
Scores of Atiku’s supporters were injured on Wednesday when hoodlums attacked the convoy of the presidential hopeful in Maiduguri, the state capital.
Atiku’s convoy was attacked just as he left the Palace of the Shehu of Borno to Ramat Square, the venue of the presidential rally.
Shortly after the attack, PDP spokesman, Debo Ologunagba, issued a statement, calling on the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, to “arrest this constant incidence of violence being unleashed.”
He accused the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC, of orchestrating the attack by sponsoring the armed thugs.
“The attack on the PDP Presidential campaign train as it made its way into Maiduguri city amidst thunderous cheers by the people further confirms APC’s frustration, bitter envy and disconcertedness over the overwhelming popularity of the PDP and our presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar in Borno State, the North-East Zone and across the nation; for which the APC has resorted to violence.
“Our party has information about how agents of certain APC leaders mobilised the thugs with the aim to escalate violence in Maiduguri and prevent the PDP from holding its presidential campaign rally in the state.
“Nigerians witnessed with horror how hundreds of APC’s armed thugs stationed at major roundabouts and intersections in the city of Maiduguri unleashed violence on the PDP Presidential Campaign convoy and innocent citizens going about their lawful activities in a gruesome attack that left over 70 persons gravely injured and hospitalised.
“This attack is consistent with APC’s habitual resort to violence in the face of rejection by the people as also witnessed in the attack on the PDP’s Presidential Campaign Rally in Kaduna State on October 17, 2022.
“APC’s barbaric and anti-social behaviour is contrary to the Peace Accord it signed on September 28, 2022 and constitutes a clear and present danger to democracy, our electoral process and the 2023 general elections.
“It is clear that the APC has since become confused, frenetic and chaotic following the daily mass exodus of its key members into the PDP across the nooks and crannies of the State as witnessed at the PDP presidential campaign rally in Maiduguri in support of Atiku Abubakar and in clear rejection of the APC presidential candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu, and his running mate, Kashim Shettima,” the statement had read.
Borno State chapter of All Progressives Congress, APC, has since denied that its supporters attacked the PDP presidential candidate’s convoy.
NNPP condemns attack, wants National Peace Committee to convene a meeting
Reacting to the attack yesterday, the Nigerian National Peoples Party, The NNPP, did not only condemn the attack but also called on the National Peace Committee, headed by former Head of State, General Abdulsalami Abubakar, retd, to as a matter of urgency, intervene by convening an emergency meeting of leaders of political parties and their presidential candidates to review the peace accord because of violation that constituted a threat to the nation’s democracy.
In a statement issued the National Publicity Secretary, Dr. Agbo Major, in Abuja yesterday, NNPP said that ahead of 2023 presidential and general elections, politicians should imbibe issue-based politics.
While commiserating with victims of the attack, the party urged all lovers of constitutional rule to condemn and resist what it described as the dastardly act by anti-democratic forces working hard to foist the rule of might and thuggery in place of the rule of law, tolerance and unity in diversity.
The statement read: “The New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP, strongly condemns the attack on the Peoples Democratic Party’s presidential campaign convoy in Maiduguri, Borno State on 9th November 2022, in which 70 persons were injured and several vehicles damaged.
”It is outrageous, barbaric and repulsive intended to undermine the nation’s emerging democracy ahead of the crucial 2023 general election that will redefine and redirect the destiny of the country.
“NNPP calls on all lovers of constitutional rule to condemn and resist this dastardly act by anti-democratic forces that want to foist the rule of might and thuggery in place of our cherished rule of law, tolerance and unity in diversity.
“This latest attack on the foundations of the nation’s frail democracy shows the level of desperation and intolerance of opposition political parties by the outgoing All Progressives Congress, APC, in Borno State.
”In August this year, our great party, the NNPP, was a victim of this political intolerance and executive recklessness in the state when Governor Babagana Zulum, jittery over the ever increasing popularity and acceptance of the party’s presidential candidate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, invited the police to seal off NNPP’s two secretariats in Maiduguri, the state capital, ahead of his visit to commission the secretariats.
”The national outcry it generated forced the police to vacate the secretariats which paved way for the party’s presidential candidate to visit the state. During the same visit, our presidential candidate’s convoy was attacked at the Bulumkutu railway crossing at the suburbs of Maiduguri as he made his way to the airport to depart the state.
“NNPP demands a stop to this national embarrassment in what ought to be a showcase of democracy which election symbolizes.
“The attacks happened, despite the Peace Accord signed by presidential candidates and national chairmen of all the 18 registered political parties on September 28, 2022, in Abuja organized by the General Abdulsami Abubakar-led National Peace Committee in which political parties and their presidential candidates resolved to carry out civil, decent and issue-based campaigns as well as promote respect and tolerance of differences.
“NNPP urges the National Peace Committee to urgently intervene by convening an emergency meeting of the leaders of political parties and their presidential candidates to review the peace accord in view of this glaring violation that constitutes a threat to the nation’s democracy and chart the way forward to save our constitutional rule.
“President Muhammadu Buhari should also call his party governors to order so as not to truncate our hard earned democracy. The Inspector General of Police and Director General of State Security Services should ensure adequate security at political rallies to forestall any breach of the peace.”