One person was reportedly killed and about 15 others injured in gun‑shot and machete attacks at a campaign rally for the All Progressives Congress (APC) governorship candidate, Sadique Abubakar, in Duguri town on Wednesday. Duguri, a village in Alkaleri Local Government Area, is the hometown of Bauchi State Governor Bala Mohammed. The incident occurred a few minutes before 6 p.m., barely five hours after seven of the nine governorship candidates met at the Bauchi State Police Headquarters and signed a peace accord ahead of the governorship and state assembly elections. The APC candidate was absent from the signing ceremony; his running mate represented him at the event.
Speaking at a press conference in the Media Unit of the Government House, Bauchi, at 11:50 p.m. on Wednesday, Farouk Mustapha, Director‑General of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Campaign Council, accused the APC and its candidate of being responsible for the attack. He alleged that Abubakar, the immediate past Chief of Air Staff, led thugs from his camp to terrorise the governor’s kinsmen and destroy PDP billboards. Mustapha said, “Today is one of the saddest days in the political history of Bauchi State. All governorship candidates of various parties were at the State Police Headquarters with security agencies to sign a peace accord, as is customary each election season. However, the APC candidate was conspicuously absent, with only his deputy in attendance, showing no respect for peace and harmony in Bauchi State.” He added that while the candidates were signing the accord, Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar toured Duguri, the hometown of Senator Bala Mohammed, the incumbent governor and PDP candidate. “His gang unleashed terror and intimidation, chanting abuses, destroying PDP billboards, buses, and even the Keke NAPEP office. The people of Duguri resisted, but the thugs and armed security opened fire on unarmed civilians, killing Mallam Mai Ungwan Shata and injuring about 15 others, who are now at the Teaching Hospital in Bauchi.”
In response, Salisu Barau, Director of Media and Publicity for the APC Campaign Council, claimed the PDP had hired thugs who opened fire on the APC campaign team. “Suspected hired thugs, using dane guns, opened fire on the convoy of APC governorship candidate Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar in Duguri, the birthplace of incumbent Senator Bala Mohammed. Eyewitnesses heard sporadic shootings around the venue, prompting security operatives to intervene. In the attempt to disarm the thugs, three people were shot: one member of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), one from a vigilance group, and one from the hunters union. The NSCDC recovered two dane guns; the others escaped with their weapons.”
Police Public Relations Officer Ahmed Wakil confirmed the incident but said there was no record of any death, noting that 14 people sustained injuries of varying severity. He explained, “The APC governorship candidate held a rally at about 17:45 hrs in Duguri Village, Yuli‑Yin Ward, Alkaleri LGA. Violence erupted, injuring 14 people. Six were taken to the Primary Health Centre in Duguri and discharged; they were Suleiman Adamu, Danlami Musa, Kabiru Sani, Rabi, Abdulrasheed Bala and Tanko Wakilin Pawa. Eight others were seriously injured and referred to the General Hospital, Alkaleri. Due to the severity of their injuries, only one—Mohammed Abdullahi, a Duguri resident—could be treated there; the remaining seven were transferred to Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Teaching Hospital in Bauchi for further care.” He added that personnel from the NSCDC attached to the governor’s entourage were among those attacked, though details were not yet available, and that two Sharon Galaxy buses were damaged.
Wakil said that, upon receiving the distress call, State Commissioner of Police Aminu Alhassan ordered the Area Commander Metro, the Divisional Police Officer of Mainamaji, and the Alkaleri officer to commence an investigation. When asked about reports of two deaths, he reiterated that, to his knowledge, none of the injured had died; all were taken to hospitals and were still alive at the time of his statement. He urged the public to remain calm, assured that the situation was under control, and pledged that the police would leave no stone unturned in dealing with anyone who sought to disrupt the peace currently enjoyed by the state.
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