17 Injured, Properties Destroyed As Zamfara PDP Attacked

Not less than 17 persons were seriously injured with properties destroyed on Monday as the People’s Democratic Party, PDP, Zamfara State Chapter came under attacks when it began its state congress to elect its State Excos.

Reports say members of the party had gathered with the exercise begining peacefully when some unidentified persons numbering over 30 descended on them unleashing reign of terror that led to people running for their lives.

It was gathered that the attackers came with dangerous weapons and started throwing stones, clubs, iron and other dangerous weapons on them, bringing down the canopies shading them.

They did not spare cars parked by as well as election materials, tables, chairs and files as pandemonium descended on the venue.

Speaking after the attack, one member of the party, Mr Musa Garba explained to journalists that, “We had scheduled our state congress to hold today (Monday) to enable us to elect the new state executive officers to run the affairs of the party in Zamfara State.

“We have notified all the relevant security agencies in the state for smooth conduct of the exercise but to our dismay, these thugs came and started throwing stones on our members,” he explained.

“They have succeeded in destroying many of our vehicles, chairs and the election materials,” he added.

According to him, “They also attempted to burn down our secretariat, opposite the Zamfara State Ministry of Finance, if not for the quick response of the security agents.”

THE WHISTLER reports that Zamfara could not conduct its state Congress with other states due to fear of attacks following the defection of the state governor, Mr Bello Muhammad Matawalle, to the All Progressives Congress, APC.

He had won the election on the platform of the PDP and defected afterwards.

Since his defection, he has been accused of waging war on PDP members.

He was accused of marking PDP members for arrest with several dozens already arrested while he seized the secretariat the party was using after his defection and marked another secretariat for demolition, forcing the PDP to file a case in court against his action.

It’s not clear if he ordered the latest attacks as reports say he had vowed never to make PDP exist in the State.

Garba wondered why anybody would send attackers at the PDP members during their congress, calling on the security agents to investigate the issue with a view to punishing the perpetrators.

The party subsequently moved the congress to the Nigerian Army Facility (Command Guest House) in Gusau for security reasons.

The party has however not issued any official statement.