Shekarau, five others write IGP, accuse APC factional chair, Ganduje’s commissioner of arson

A former governor of Kano State, Ibrahim Shekarau, and five other federal lawmakers have sent a petition to the Inspector-General of Police, Alkali Usman, over the burning down on Thursday of the campaign office of a senator, Barau Jibrin.

The petition, dated December 2, was signed by Mr Shekarau, who is also the senator representing Kano Central, Mr Jibrin, who is the senator for Kano South, and four members of the House of Representatives including; Nasiru Abdua, Tijjani Jobe, Sha’aban Sharada and Haruna Dederi.

The federal lawmakers linked the attack on Mr Barau’s campaign office to the judgment of the Federal High Court in Abuja earlier this week which sacked the executives of the All Progressives Congress (APC) loyal to Governor Abdullahi Ganduje.

PREMIUM TIMES reported how arsonists on Thursday morning attacked the office located on Maiduguri Road in Kano metropolis, in Tarauni Local Government Area of the state.

The police later said they have arrested 13 suspects in connection to the incident.

The Kano APC crisis worsened after the state congress on October 18 produced two sets of leaders with one loyal to Mr Ganduje and the other to Mr Shekarau.

The Shekarau faction had elected Haruna Danzago as chairman while Mr Ganduje’s camp elected Abdullahi Abbas.

The National Appeal Committee of the party later recognised Mr Abbas as the chairman of the party in the state.

Not satisfied with the decision of the party, the faction led by Mr Shekarau headed to court, asking for the nullification of the congresses at the ward, local government and state levels conducted by the rival faction and recognition of its own.

On Tuesday, the Federal High Court in Abuja granted the requests and upheld the congresses conducted by the Shekarau faction.

The judge also made an order restraining the Ganduje faction from appointing a new executive.

Petition

In the petition, the lawmakers fingered the factional chairperson, Mr Abbas, the state’s commissioner for Local Government Affairs, Murtala Garo; Faizu Alfindiki, chairperson Kano Municipal local government area; Khalid Diso, Chairperson Gwale LGA; Hassan Garban-Kauye, chairperson Kumbotso LGA; Auwal Shuaibu, Chairperson Nassarawa LGA and one Gwarmai as ”the sponsors of the arsonists.”

“Following the court judgment, regrettably, however, instead of fighting their cause through due legal process, these frustrated elements resorted to carrying out the criminal acts mentioned above.

“We have been reliably informed, which information we verily believe to be true and correct. that through the night of December 1 to the early morning of December 2, 2021, Abdullahi Abbas, former chairman of APC and five others together with some other well armed thugs organised and set ablaze the campaign office of Senator Barau and attempted to kill those they met at the scene.

“They also tried to burn our party office located along Zaria Road and kill or inflict bodily harm to its occupants. They also passed by our respective residences with armed thugs chanting war songs in attempt to unleash violence on law abiding citizens,” the petition reads.

While urging the police boss to probe the matter, the lawmakers said, “should anything happen to us and our supporters, the aforementioned people should be held responsible.

“In the circumstances, therefore, we hereby write to request you, sir to use your good offices to thoroughly investigate this matter with a view to bringing everyone involved to book and forestall any further breakdown of law and order as well as prevent reprisal attacks.

“Their hope is to see reprisal attacks from our side so as to turn Kano into a killing field. In spite of the threats and provocations, however, as responsible leaders, we shall continue to be law abiding, hoping that you will address our complaint as appropriate,” the lawmakers alleged.

Reaction

But Ahmad Aruwa, who speaks for the faction loyal to Mr Ganduje’s camp, denied that the perpetrators were sponsored by those listed in the petition.

He told PREMIUM TIMES that ”they woke up like any other residents and heard about the incident which they equally condemned”.

He said nobody in their right senses would promote violence in the state they live in.

“There is no time we sat and decided to attack the office of our colleagues from the other camp. But since the police have arrested some suspects, the truth will eventually come out,” Mr Aruwa said.