Soldiers deny APC supporters entrance to Yola for rally

The state governor, Murtala Nyako and a leader of APC in the state, Nuhu Ribadu, have separately condemned the recent action of the soldiers, describing it as reckless abuse of power.

Military personnel manning checkpoints leading to Yola, the Adamawa State capital Monday denied access to supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) who were on their way to attend a rally in the capital, Yola.

Multiple sources, including travellers to the event from various local governments in the state, told PREMIUM TIMES.

A stalwart of the APC travelling from Mubi, the northern part of the state, Ahmed Modibbo, said their entourage of 10 minibuses was intercepted by the soldiers who ordered them to park by the roadside without any further information.

“They just stopped us and asked all of us to disembark. They didn’t say anything more,” he told PREMIUM TIMES via a text message, fearing the soldiers could harass him he is seen making a telephone call.

It would be recalled that at the eve of an official visit to the state by President Goodluck Jonathan last week, soldiers were alleged to have been used in the capital to remove posters of the APC, replacing them with those of the president’s Peoples Democratic Party (PDP).

The state governor, Murtala Nyako and a leader of APC in the state, Nuhu Ribadu, have separately condemned the recent action of the soldiers, describing it as reckless abuse of power.

The Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Ahmad Sajoh, said the government was disturbed that freedom of its citizens could be trampled upon by a force that should secure them.

He expressed government’s worry at what he called consistent use of the military to threaten harmless citizens.

According to him, if left unchallenged, this development might pave way for dangerous trend as the election nears.

Mr. Ribadu, on his part, said the misuse of the military and other forces by the federal government was “becoming increasingly disturbing and shameful”.

Mr. Ribadu, who spoke through his media aide, Abdulaziz Abdulaziz, said it was “draconian and shameful that under a democracy people’s freedom of opinion and assembly will be threatened in this manner.”