The Department of State Services (DSS) has interrogated Governor Abdullahi Ganduje’s political loyalists, including local council chairmen, over alleged involvement in the recent violence that rocked the All Progressives Congress (APC) event in Rano, Kano State.
A reliable source at DSS, who doesn’t want his name mentioned, told The Guardian that those invited for questioning include chairmen of Gwarzo and Kano Municipal, Bashir Kutama, and Faizu Alfindiki.
Also, a gubernatorial aspirant, Abdulsalam Zaura, was reportedly quizzed on Tuesday night.
The DSS source also confirmed that the chairman of Gwale, Khalid Diso, who had refused to honour invitation, is placed on the wanted list, and an aide to the governor was arrested on the same allegations.
According to the security source, the two APC council bosses allegedly sponsored political thugs in defence of a gubernatorial candidate to unleash an attack on supporters of another party bigwig, who is equally eyeing Ganduje’s seat in 2023.
Although the Kano police command confirmed one Hamisu Sani dead and two injured during the violence, unconfirmed sources claimed that about four lives were lost during the inauguration of the APC ward and local council executives for Kano South senatorial district, at the weekend.
The ugly development compelled the riot act read by Governor Ganduje on Tuesday, during the inauguration of the party leadership for Kano North, in Bichi Local Council.
Ganduje, who warned supporters of various governorship candidates from carrying dangerous weapons at the APC event, stressed that the ruling party doesn’t require weapons to win elections in Kano.
Regretting the deadly violence, the governor warned that government would no longer tolerate such unwholesome acts by unscrupulous elements in the party.
Trouble reportedly burst in Rano when supporters of the former speaker, House of Assembly, Kabiru Rurum, and those of Commissioner for Local Government, Murtala Garo, clashed, a crisis that left scores with machete cuts.
Another source told reporters that the secret police found local weapons in some vehicles allegedly belonging to the powerful politicians, including local council chairmen.
Efforts to reach Zaura proved abortive, but his close associate said he was not arrested, adding that a politician with a good track record could not engage in political violence.
Source: Guardian.ng
