The Borno State Governor,
Kashim Shettima, on Sunday
escaped what could have been a
bloody attack on his convoy by
suspected thugs in Maiduguri,
the state capital.
Mr. Shettima was driving
around the metropolis when
suspected hoodlums waylaid and
smashed some of the cars in his
convoy.
Witnesses said the governor was
attacked at a place popularly
called Old UTC, which is located
near the Peoples Democratic
Party’s campaign office.
“The convoy of the governor
came under attack at the Old
UTC near the PDP campaign
office which was burnt down
during the All Progressives
Congress presidential rally on
Monday last week,” a witness,
Samaila Sabo, said,
“As usual when the governor is
passing-by, most of us rushed to
the roadside expecting that he
might throw some money for us.
But when we did that on
Sunday, some boys in front of
UTC began to run towards
Kashim Ibrahim Way throwing
stones and using clubs to smash
vehicles in the convoy.”
“We had to rush back as
security agents in the convoy
began to shoot sporadically. I
think they attacked the
governor in retaliation for the
burning of their office last
week,” another witness at a
local cap-washing shop said.
The governor’s spokesperson,
Isa Gusau, in a statement,
accused the former governor, Ali
Modu Sheriff, of being the
mastermind of the attack on Mr.
Shettima’s convoy.
Mr. Gusau, who also said the
state’s APC Chairman, Ali Dalori,
witnessed the assault on Mr.
Shettima alleged that the attack
was planned and endorsed by
the former governor.
Cont. Reading.
“The governor was driving past
Kashim Ibrahim Way after going
round different hospitals in the state capital
to offer support to patients when his convoy
was attacked while returning to the
Government House located at the G.R.A,” Mr.
Gusau said.
“The thugs came out from a campaign office
belonging to Sheriff and soon after the
governor’s official vehicle passed, the thugs
went after other vehicles in the convoy,
smashing the windscreens.
“The governor, however, ordered his security
details not to use fire arms or any form of
assault in order not to heighten tension in the
state and compromise ongoing counter
insurgency operations.”
Mr. Gusau said about 10 vehicles in the
governor’s convoy were smashed by the thugs
and called on Mr. Sherif to call the youth to
order, warning that the APC-led government
in the state would take every lawful steps to
ensure that peace prevailed in the state.
“Whether he likes it or not, his era has passed
in Borno State. Nothing can change that
history ‘Insha Allah’,” Mr. Gusau said.
“We call on the Federal Government to call
SAS to order. If he is above the law, the FG
should tell us but we will not be lawless and
we will not allow him have his way.”
But the Media Director to the PDP
gubernatorial candidate, Inuwa Bwala, denied
the allegation, saying the youth who attacked
Mr. Shettima might be thugs owed money for
the contract the APC gave them to attack PDP
offices during Mr. Buhari’s visit to the state.
Mr. Bwala, who is also the spokesman to Mr.
Sheriff, said nether he nor his principal was
in Maiduguri when the alleged attack took
place.
He said, “We believe those who attacked
Governor Shettima were the APC thugs that
were denied payment of their contract
agreement to destroy and burn down PDP
offices in the state during General Mohammed
Buhari’s visit on Monday.
“It was on record that during that APC rally
where their presidential candidate visited
Maiduguri and could not address his
supporters, some APC thugs, despite the tight
security, were personally led by Governor
Shettima’s aides to burn down many PDP
campaign offices including that of Senator Ali
Modu Sheriff.
“The same thugs used by the APC
government were the ones who attacked him
for failing to settle the contract for their act of
political violence.
“What is happening in Borno State now is a
reaction to the balance of terror. We,
therefore, called on the security agencies to
be up to their responsibilities to ensure that
Governor Shettima and his people are called
to order”.
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