At least five persons have died and several others sustained injuries in Bebeji Local Government Area of Kano State following a clash, yesterday, between supporters of Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso and those of Rep Abdulmumini Jibril Kofa. Also, about 60 campaign vehicles belonging to the two politicians were burnt during the clash that occurred around 3pm in Kofa village, a witness, Yusuf Abdullahi, told Daily Trust. Abdullahi explained that trouble started when Kwankwaso’s long convoy coming from a political rally stormed Kofa village at the time supporters of Rep. Jibrin were conducting a special prayer session for the peaceful conduct of tomorrow’s elections.
He said the arrival of Kwankwaso and his teeming supporters disrupted the prayer session which resulted in the clash that led to the death of five people.
“I was personally told about the death of Malam Isa from Kuki ward and several people have sustained various degrees of injuries. It was a bloody clash,” he said.
Another witness said when Kwankwasiyya members arrived Kofa, they could not pass through the village because Kofa’s supporters who converged in front of the legislator’s house had taken over the road.
“Kofa’s supporters dominated more than half of the road that passed through the village, therefore, Kwankwaso’s supporters could not pass through the village and this resulted to the clash between supporters of the two politicians.
“The mobile policemen attached to Kwankwaso had to shoot in order to disperse the crowd and protect Senator Kwankwaso from being attacked by angry youth,” he said.
Another witness, Isma’il Muhammad, said, “I saw three unconscious victims of the attack taken away by the police in their patrol van. I am not sure if they were alive or dead. But several people were injured during the attack.”
Alhaji Sagir Umar Kofa, a personal assistant to Rep. Abdulmumini Kofa, also confirmed the death of one person and burning of several vehicles.
Rep. Jibrin blamed Kwankwaso for the clash, lamenting that “In order to avoid this kind of unfortunate incident, Kwankwaso should not even come to Kofa since we are holding another event in the village.”
The spokesman of the PDP’s gubernatorial candidate, Sanusi Bature Dawakin Tofa, blamed Rep. Jibrin for the clash, noting that “Kofa hired thugs who blocked the only road that Senator Kwankwaso and supporters will pass through to Kiru village, hence the clash.”
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Haruna Abdullahi, confirmed the incident but said he could not give details of the damage caused by the clash as details had not been forwarded to him as at the time of filing this report.
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