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One Reportedly Killed As APC, PDP Supporters Clash At Bauchi Gov’s Village

Published

3 years ago

March 9, 2023

One person was reportedly killed while about 15 others sustained injuries from gunshots and machetes attacks at a campaign rally of the governorship candidate of the All Progressives Congress, Sadique Abubakar, at Duguri town on Wednesday.

The PUNCH reports that Duguri, a village in Alkaleri Local Government Area, is the hometown of the Bauchi State Governor, Bala Mohammed.

The incident, which happened a few minutes before 6pm, came barely five hours after seven out of nine governorship candidates met at the Bauchi State Police Headquarters and signed a peace accord ahead of the governorship and state Assembly elections.

The candidate of the APC who was absent at the venue of the signing of the peace accord was however represented by his running mate at the event.

Speaking to journalists at a press conference held at the Media Unit, Government House, Bauchi at 11.50 pm on Wednesday, the Director-General, Peoples Democratic Party Campaign Council, Farouk Mustapha, 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 belonging to his camp and party to unleash terror on the governor’s kinsmen and also destroyed billboards of the PDP.

Mustapha said, “Today (Wednesday) is one of the saddest days in the political history of Bauchi State. All governorship candidates of various political parties in the state were at the State Police Headquarters with all the security agencies to sign a peace accord as has been the practice in every election season. However, the candidate of the APC was conspicuously absent with only his deputy in attendance, showing no respect for the peace and harmony to reign in Bauchi State.

“To our dismay, while the candidates were signing the peace accord, Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar, took a campaign tour to Duguri town, the hometown of His Excellency, Senator Bala Mohammed, who doubles as the sitting governor as the candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party in the forthcoming election.

“His gang leaders who led today’s thuggery, unleashed terror, intimidation on the people of Duguri town. They were chanting abuses and breaking all PDP billboards carrying His Excellency’s pictures, buses and even Keke NAPEP and the office of the PDP were all burnt down.

“This barbaric act was resisted by the people of Duguri led by the thugs and even the armed security men to open fire on the unarmed and innocent people of Duguri. They left several people injured and killed one Mallam Mai Ungwan Shata through a gunshot and also macheted others, about 15 of them, who sustained different degrees of injuries, and they are right now at the Teaching Hospital here in Bauchi.”

However, in reaction to the incident, the Director of Media and Publicity of the APC Campaign Council, Salisu Barau, accused the PDP of hiring thugs who opened fire on the campaign team of the APC governorship candidate.

“Suspected hired thugs, using dane guns, opened fire on the convoy of the Bauchi State governorship candidate of APC, Air Marshal Sadique Baba Abubakar, in Duguri the birthplace of the incumbent Bauchi state, Sen. Bala Mohammed.

“According to eyewitnesses, sounds of sporadic shootings were heard around the premises where the campaign lecture was being held, which made the security operatives at the venue rush to the scene of the shootings where, in an attempt to disarm the thugs and retrieve the guns from them, three people were shot: one Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps; one from a vigilance group and one from the hunters union.

“However, the NSCDC operatives succeeded in recovering two dane guns from the thugs while others escaped with their own guns,” Barau said

Meanwhile, the Police Public Relations Officer, Bauchi State Police Command, Ahmed Wakil, who confirmed the incident however, said there was no record of any death pointing out that only 14 people sustained various degrees of injuries.

He said, “Today (Wednesday), APC governorship candidate went out on a rally at about 17.4500hrs, while in Duguri Village, under Yuli-Yin Ward, Alkaleri Local Government Area, violence ensued during the rally in which 14 people were injured. Among the 14 injured, six were taken to Primary Health Center in Duguri, where they were treated and discharged.

“Among the eight that were treated and discharged, was Suleiman Adamu, Danlami Musa, Kabiru Sani, Rabi, Abdulrasheed Bala and Tanko Wakilin Pawa, all residents of Duguri Village. These are the six that were taken to the Health Center in Duguri.

“Eight others were seriously injured, they were referred to the General Hospital, Alkaleri. Because of the severity of the injuries, the doctor could only attend to one Mohammed Abdullahi, who is also a resident of that Duguri. The remaining seven were transferred from the General Hospital Alkaleri to the Abubakar Tafawa Balewa Teaching Hospital, Bauchi for medical treatment.

“Among those attacked were part of the personnel of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps attached to His Excellency’s entourage. But their details were not yet made available to us. Furthermore, two Sharon Galaxy buses were damaged.”

Wakil, a Superintendent of Police, said that immediately after the Command received the distress call, the state Commissioner of Police, Aminu Alhassan, directed the Area Commander Metro and the Divisional Police Officer, Mainamaji and that of Alkaleri to commence investigation.

Asked to react to allegations that two people were killed in the incident, he said, “I have mentioned all that was here, I mentioned six first that were injured and I have mentioned eight that were transferred out of which one is in Duguri. I don’t have knowledge about any of them that are dead. All of them were taken to the hospital by the police and up to this moment that I am giving you this report, none of them has died.”

He called on members of the public to be calm as the situation was under control. He vowed that the Command would not leave any stone unturned to deal with anybody who wanted to disrupt the peace that the state was presently enjoying.

News

JUST IN: Kenya Airways Pays NCAA Sanction Fee For Passenger’s Rights Violations

Published

1 hour ago

September 18, 2025

Editor

Kenya Airways has paid the sanction fee imposed by the Nigerian Civil Aviation Authority over passenger rights violations, including the case involving Nigerian traveller Gloria Omisore.

According to a post by the Director, Public Affairs and Consumer Protection, Michael Achimugu, on his official X account on Thursday, the airline settled the penalty on Wednesday, September 17, 2025, following a series of meetings that included the Kenyan High Commissioner to Nigeria, airline representatives, and officials from Jomo Kenyatta International Airport.

“Kenya Airways has, on Wednesday 17/09/2025, paid the sanction fee as a penalty for the Gloria Omisore and other consumer protection-related infractions,” Achimugu confirmed.

He stressed that NCAA sanctions are not designed to punish operators but to strengthen compliance with safety and passenger-handling standards.

“As always, NCAA sanctions are not to punish operators, but to help improve their flight operations, especially with regard to safety and passenger handling protocols,” he said.

While commending Kenya Airways for complying, Achimugu noted that payment of fines does not conclude the matter, as the timeframe for resolving the cases has already elapsed. “The payment of sanction fines does not conclude the issues. The NCAA will follow through and is assuring both passengers and airlines of its commitment to protecting their rights and responsibilities,” he added.

Achimugu also emphasised the airline’s long-standing partnership with Nigeria, noting that the penalty was case-specific and does not diminish the positive aspects of its operations.

The NCAA said it would continue to enforce regulations to safeguard passenger rights and ensure airlines adhere to international aviation standards.

In February, Nigerian passenger Gloria Omisore accused Kenya Airways of mishandling her during a disrupted trip that left her stranded at Nairobi’s Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. Omisore, who had been denied boarding on her connecting flight to Paris due to a missing Schengen transit visa, claimed the airline had earlier assured her she was eligible to travel. The visa issue resulted in a 17-hour layover, followed by an additional 10-hour delay for an alternative London route offered by the airline.

During the long wait, Omisore requested accommodation and care, citing exhaustion and health concerns, but Kenya Airways declined, arguing that such provisions do not apply in visa-related denied boardings. The situation escalated into a confrontation, captured on video, where Omisore allegedly threw used sanitary pads at staff.

In response, the NCAA launched an investigation, finding Kenya Airways guilty of breaching consumer protection regulations and misleading the public in its initial statements.

On May 7, 2025, the NCAA sanctioned the airline, ordering compensation of 1,000 Special Drawing Rights for each of the three affected passengers, including Omisore, and demanding a public apology.

News

Flood: Residents Chide Edo Govt Over Failure To Show Concern

Published

1 hour ago

September 18, 2025

Editor

Residents of Ekpoma in Esan West Local Government Area of Edo State have lambasted the Governor Monday Okpehbolo-led state government over failure to show concern on the tragic incident where a cocoa merchant, Frank Omoruyi, was swept away by flood.

Recall that it was reported on Tuesday that flood swept away a man earlier identified as motorcyclist.

The residents, while expressing displeasure over the state government’s failure to send any rescue team to help recover the corpse, said they paid what they termed ‘good money’ to divers from Benue State to recover Omoruyi’s corpse from a burrow pit at Uwenbo area after two days of intense search.

The residents who lamented that no state government or local government official joined in the rescue operation, threatened to protest and stop further construction work of the Benin-Auchi highway.

A resident, Samuel Osarenkhoe said: “Two Benue boys were hired to get the body out. We paid them handsomely. He was a cocoa merchant. He was our member and a good friend.

Another resident, Luis Ebabulu, said: “They were saddened that no government official visited the community two days after the incident occurred.

“No government official has been here since the incident occurred. We have been contributing money to pay people to search for the body. We are coming out tomorrow to protest to stop the project. They cannot be doing roads and be killing us.

“Flooding and erosion problems have been worsened by the construction of the Benin-Auchi highway. The contractor channeled flood water to the borrowed pit.”

Edo State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Hon. Paul Ohonbamu, said Governor l has desilted drainages across the state.

News

Police Disown Viral Recruitment Notice, Warn Against Fraud

Published

4 hours ago

September 18, 2025

Editor

The Nigeria Police Force has disowned a recruitment notice circulating on social media, describing it as fake and warning Nigerians not to fall victim to fraudulent schemes.

The document, titled “Nigeria Police Force Recruitment Exercise 2025”, had invited applications from SSCE, OND, HND, and B.Sc. holders, listing requirements such as age limits, fitness standards, and academic qualifications. It also outlined an alleged application process through a supposed police recruitment portal scheduled to open on September 23, 2025.

The notice claimed that candidates were expected to be Nigerian citizens by birth, hold a valid National Identification Number, and meet minimum height and academic criteria. It also warned against membership of secret societies and directed applicants to submit various documents, including birth certificates and guarantor declarations.

In a post on its verified X handle on Thursday, the Nigeria Police Force dismissed the claims and stamped the document “FAKE” to alert the public.

The Police Service Commission (PSC) had earlier issued a similar warning. On August 30, PSC spokesperson Ikechukwu Ani clarified that no recruitment exercise had been announced for 2025.

“The advertorial currently in circulation is fictitious and diversionary,” Ani said. “The Commission has repeatedly urged young Nigerians eager to join the police to be patient and await the official process.”

He added that the forged documents being circulated bear no resemblance to the Commission’s official communication.

The police authorities reiterated that any official recruitment exercise would be publicly announced through verified government platforms.