The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Borno State, Mohammed Jajari, has said one death and over 100 injuries were recorded in the aftermath of an attack on the convoy of the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar.
Atiku was in Maiduguri, the state capital, on Wednesday for a rally when the incident happened. The victims were rushed to the state General Hospital and the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital for treatment, according to Jajari, who made an appearance on Channels Television’s Sunrise Daily on Friday.
“Throughout the journey from the airport to the Shehu’s place, they had mounted what we call Civilian JTF (Joint Taskforce). They removed their uniforms, put down their identities and they mobilised them across the street throughout from the airport to the Shehu’s palace,” the governorship hopeful said.
“There were stones and sticks — so many. Even at the venue (of the rally), so many people were treated, and the injured were so many that we had to send them to the hospital. Over a hundred and something people were injured and one of the casualities, last night, at about 9 pm, died.
“The (rally) venue was peaceful. We came in, and all our supporters were fine. We did our rally and it was peaceful. But the same people were on the same street as the presidential candidate was leaving for the airport.”
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Jajari confirmed that the Commissioner of Police in Borno State had visited the venue of the rally on Wednesday, but “he wasn’t around when we were doing the rally”.
According to the governorship candidate, ahead of the rally, alleged threats made by opposition members against the PDP were reported to security agencies at the federal level. He alleged that while he was not aware of any action taken by the security agencies, Atiku’s security details “arrested few” of the suspects.
“The state police (command) came and were asking. But they said they (the suspects) had to go with them. I’m not sure if they did, but yes, some of them were actually arrested by the candidate and the security details,” Jajari said.
“We have written petitions to the Office of the IGP, to the Office of the DSS, to the Office of the National Security Adviser, to all of them and we had copied the (PDP) state chapter as well. That was done last week, way before the rally happened. But to the best of my knowledge, no action was taken.”