21st October, 2013
MADUABUCHI NMERIBEH/Kano
The silent war between the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, and the New PDP in Kano, Northwest Nigeria took a violent dimension Monday afternoon when both sides clashed at the Court Road secretariat of the party, leaving no fewer than three people seriously injured.
The incident occurred during the inauguration of Zonal Committees by the leadership of PDP care-taker committee.
According to a witness account, knives, clubs, horns and other dangerous weapons were used during the fracas.
“The chairman of Kano PDP Caretaker Committee, Hassan Kefayos formed Zonal Committees as provided by the constitution of the party. The attack happened immediately after the committees were inaugurated around 1:30pm, Monday.
“When they were about to do the closing prayer some three unidentified young men forced themselves into the venue and disrupted the meeting while stabbing people with knives and other local weapons,” said the eyewitness.
The Public Relations Officer of the caretaker committee, Ja’afar Sani Bello, who spoke to our Correspondent from a Kano hospital, said he was stabbed on the neck with a horn.
“I can confirm to you that so many people were wounded. I was quite unconscious at that time. Right now, I am taking treatment. The whole thing remains a shock to me and I still do not believe that some people can get so violent in this modern age. It is unfortunate; but I assure you that both the security agencies and the party apparatus will investigate this incident and bring the culprits to book,” Ja’afar stated
Musa Daura, Commissioner of Police in charge of Kano state said the prompt response of his men calmed the situation, adding that already, four people have been arrested.
According his account, “The PDP was having a meeting when some political thugs came to disrupt the meeting in pretence that they wanted to be part of the meeting and they were armed with dangerous weapons. Security agents saw that they were carrying arms and they were surrounded and arrested. So far, four people have been arrested and investigation is ongoing.”
The PDP national leadership had last month dissolved the executives of the PDP in the state, loyal to Governor Rabiu Kwankwaso and appointed a caretaker committee instead.