At least five persons were injured on Saturday night following an attack on the residence of a stalwart of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Gombe, Alhaji Salisu Abdulaziz, alias Mr B.
Abdul’aziz was a member of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) before he defected to the PDP. He convened a meeting for women and youths in his residence in the Jekadafari area of Gombe metropolis when thugs invaded and dispersed the gathering.
Narrating the incident yesterday to newsmen, Abdul’aziz said the thugs “attacked women, youths and men attending the meeting. They vandalised my house, broke my gate and all electrical bulbs, as well as my windows. We were lucky that the police were quick to intervene and calm the situation.”
When contacted, the Gombe police spokesman, ASP Mahid Mu’azu Abubakar, confirmed the incident, saying at least five people were injured and were evacuated by the police to the hospital.
He added that the police were yet to make any arrest, saying the case was still under investigation.
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Similarly, thugs on Monday disrupted an All Progressives Congress (APC) campaign in Omuma LGA of Rivers State.
It was gathered that the thugs, in the early hours of Monday, stormed the Umunachi community rally ground and pulled down canopies and vandalised vehicles and chairs.
Witnesses said the few police officers on ground were overpowered by the thugs.
The state’s APC campaign organisation spokesman, Sogbeye Eli, in a statement, accused a prominent member of PDP in the area of sponsoring the thugs.
However, the PDP in Rivers State denied claims by the APC that its members were behind the disruption of the proposed rally.
The party, through its spokesman, Chief Ogbonna Nwuke, urged the public to disregard the unsubstantiated allegation, saying the crisis, which was community-based, was triggered by the unlawful arrest of a young man who was not a politician.
Also, the home of PDP’s Social Organising Secretary in Akpabuyo LGA of Cross River, Elder Francis Ekeng, was vandalised by thugs who also stabbed his gateman.
The incident happened on Sunday evening when the politician and his family members were yet to return from church service.
Witnesses said the thugs were armed with machetes, planks, irons and guns.
A family source said, “They forced open Ekeng’s gate, manhandled the gateman and stabbed him all over. We doubt if the gateman will survive.”
Phone calls to the state’s police spokesman, Irene Ugbo, were not responded to as at the time of filing this report.
From Haruna G. Yaya (Gombe) Victor Edozie (Port Harcourt) & Eyo Charles (Calabar)
