Nasarawa APC, SDP trade accusations over political violence

The All Progressives Congress and the Social Democratic Party in Nasarawa State have traded accusations over alleged political violence, following a protest by APC supporters demanding an investigation into attacks on party members and Vice-President Kashim Shettima.

Thousands of APC supporters, led by the state chairman, Aliyu Bello, on Monday staged a peaceful protest in Lafia, calling on the police and the Department of State Services to investigate the attack on Shettima during his visit to the state for the presidential campaign rally last Wednesday.

The protesters visited the state police command, the DSS command and the Government House to express their displeasure over what they described as repeated attacks on APC supporters by opposition parties.

Speaking during the protest, Bello said the party was seeking peace and decent political engagement but had experienced several attacks allegedly carried out by opposition supporters.

He alleged that the APC had written several letters to security agencies, identifying suspected perpetrators, but that no action had been taken.

The chairman also claimed that an APC supporter was killed in the Tudun Wada area despite the party obtaining permission to hold its event.

Describing the attack on Shettima, who represented President Bola Tinubu at the rally, as embarrassing and unacceptable, Bello demanded a full investigation and the arrest and prosecution of those responsible.

He also alleged that the SDP governorship candidate and former Inspector-General of Police, Abubakar Adamu, and his wife enjoyed greater security protection than Governor Abdullahi Sule and his wife.

Bello further accused a supporter of Adamu of making threats against police officers, alleging that the individual had continued to move freely despite being taken to court and breaching bail conditions.

He said APC supporters would remain peaceful and law-abiding but warned that they would no longer tolerate attacks without a response from security agencies.

“If we are pushed to the wall, we will have no option but to defend ourselves,” he said.

Responding, the Assistant Commissioner of Police in charge of Administration and Finance, Gaya Ahmed, assured the protesters that the police remained neutral and would investigate all properly submitted complaints.

“The IGP has made it clear that the police are neutral, and we will continue to maintain that neutrality,” Ahmed said.

He added that anyone found culpable would be arrested and prosecuted, stressing that nobody was above the law.

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A deputy director in the DSS Command also acknowledged the protesters’ complaints, saying they would be communicated to the appropriate office for necessary action.

At the Government House, Governor Sule, represented by his deputy, Dr Emmanuel Akabe, described the attack on Shettima as unfortunate and a disgrace to the state and constituted authority.

Akabe said the state government had invested heavily in security since 2019, adding that the incident raised questions about the performance of security personnel who had been adequately briefed ahead of the Vice-President’s visit.

“The responsibility of security personnel is to protect lives and property. If you cannot protect lives and property, then a lot needs to be answered,” he said.

He disclosed that the State Emergency Security Council had met and taken resolutions on the incident, adding that the former Commissioner of Police, Shetima Mohammed, had been promoted to the rank of Assistant Inspector-General of Police and posted out of the state.

According to him, a new police commissioner was expected to resume duty with a mandate to improve security and protect all residents.

However, the SDP campaign council condemned the APC protest, describing it as a state-sponsored demonstration against the opposition candidate and other stakeholders.

In a statement on Monday, the Director of Digital Media and Communications of the campaign council, Otaru Douglas, accused the APC leadership of making provocative statements capable of heightening tension in the state.

Douglas alleged that the government had abandoned its responsibility to provide a level playing field for all political parties and had instead joined the political contest by mobilising protesters against the opposition.

He said the government should have pursued dialogue and other conflict-resolution mechanisms to address the political tension rather than organise a protest against its opponents.

“The world can now see and confirm it: this government is the aggressor, and it is very intolerant of its citizens,” he said.

Douglas argued that the right to protest was guaranteed by the Constitution and was not exclusive to the ruling party, warning that the opposition might consider organising a counter-protest.

He urged the state government to withdraw from what he described as street confrontation and focus on governance, insisting that the state needed peace, justice and leadership that would unite its residents.

The campaign council maintained that Adamu remained focused on winning the 2027 governorship election, despite what it described as attempts to intimidate the opposition.

It called on the government to de-escalate political tension and allow security agencies to discharge their responsibilities without interference.