12 In Police Net Over NNPP, APC Supporters’ Clash In Kano

The Kano State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of 12 suspected thugs in Gaya Local Council, about 35 kilometres from Kano city, following a clash between rival political parties in the area.

Although no life was lost, OSUN DEFENDER learnt that some persons sustained injury and valuables destroyed when supporters of New Nigeria Peoples Party NNPP and the opposition All Progressives Congress (APC) clashed.

The crisis ensued in the Kademi area of Gaya town, last weekend, when an NNPP supporter identified as Habibu mocked the opposition APC following the victory of Governor Abba Yusuf’s at the Supreme Court.

The joke resulted in a bloody clash when Habibu took it to the stronghold of APC. In the aftermath, one Alkassim was critically injured and hospitalised.

Wading into the growing tension in the area, the Commissioner of Police (CP), Mohammed Gumel, yesterday, visited the community in Gaya to avert further escalation of the crisis.

Addressing the warring parties at the palace of Emir of Gaya, Gumel vowed to arrest the principal suspect, Habibu.

He solicited for the support of the residents to provide the command with useful information that will lead to the arrest of the suspect.

“We must rise collectively to secure Kano. It is evident that no state is more peaceful than Kano. No state has the blessing of population like Kano. Some of its neighbours such as Katsina, Kaduna, Benue and Taraba are not peaceful.

“We acknowledge that people are coming from the insecure areas to Kano to find peace. So, we urge you to cooperate to continue enjoying this peace. We are here to find the root of the problem and see how to resolve it amicably, not to harass anybody. We will continue to pursue possible means to ensure this relative peace has come to stay in Kano,” the CP said.

Emir of Gaya, Aliyu Gaya, who condemned the incident, said the Emirate would not condone village and ward heads, who fail in the discharge of their duties to ensure peace in their domains, threatening to punish any village and ward head found wanting.

He said the inaction of the ward heads and some political leaders was responsible for the misfortune in the area and called on the political leaders to always preach peace to their followers, as politics is not a do-or-die affair.