The Bauchi State Police Command has confirmed that one person was killed and another injured in Akuyam, located in the Misau Local Government Area. This incident occurred during a campaign visit by the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Sadique Abubakar, and his team. On Tuesday, the command’s Public Relations Officer, SP Ahmed Wakil, reported that the deceased succumbed to injuries on Tuesday morning at the Federal Medical Centre in Azare, Katagum Local Government Area. The other victim is still receiving treatment at the same hospital.
According to SP Wakil, the incident unfolded on Monday at approximately 8:30 PM when Air Marshal Abubakar Sadique was traveling from Dambam Local Government Area to Akuyam for his campaign. Upon reaching Akuyam town, his entourage was attacked, prompting his escorts to return fire. Two individuals from Akuyam Village, Saleh Garba, aged 35, and Yakubu Yunusa, aged 20, were shot and subsequently evacuated to the Federal Medical Centre for medical attention. Tragically, the police confirmed that one of the victims died while receiving treatment.
In response to the incident, the Commissioner of Police, CP Aminu Alhassan, has ordered a discreet investigation. Meanwhile, Salisu Barau, the media aide for the governorship candidate, attributed the attack to opposition forces, noting that approximately 15 to 20 vehicles were destroyed during the clash.
In Rivers State, the campaign of APC governorship candidate Tonye Cole faced violence in Opobo town, located in the Opobo/Nkoro Local Government Area. During this incident, a party member was kidnapped but was later released. Additionally, three APC members conducting a door-to-door campaign in Omuma LGA suffered machete cuts amid threats that the party would not be allowed to hold its scheduled rally in the area. Onyekachi Ojiegbe, the party leader in Omuma, raised concerns about the ongoing activities of thugs in the local government area.
Ojiegbe addressed journalists in Port Harcourt, the state capital, highlighting that despite 17 petitions submitted to the state Commissioner of Police, Okon Effiong, and the Deputy Commissioner of Police for the State Criminal Investigation Department, the violence has continued. He has appealed to the Inspector-General of Police to establish a special crack team in Omuma and throughout the state ahead of the elections.
Meanwhile, the state police command has initiated an investigation into an attack on the governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party, Magnus Abe, which occurred on Monday. SP Grace Iringe-Koko, the spokesperson for the command, described this incident as a pre-rally attack.
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