From Mathew Jwantu, Minna
The Police in Niger State has confirmed the death of one person following the violence that trailed the local government primary elections conducted by the All Progressives Congress across the state on Saturday.
Confirming the incident, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Abubakar Dan-Inna said violence
erupted after the results of the APC Primaries in Shiroro local government area were announced.
DSP Dan-Inna said contrary to the claim that two lives were lost, only one death has so far been confirmed.
He said after the successful conduct of the primaries, thugs of one of the aspirants having realised that the results were not in their favour, blocked the road, attacked the vehicle of the returning officer and burnt down an unknown number of motorcycles.
He said the Police had to do everything “humanly” possible to whisk the returning officer and the results of the election away.
DSP DAN-INNA said the youths however proceeded to the Police Station at Kuta to set it ablaze, and that while the police were trying to contain the situation, one person lost his life.
He said investigation is on to unravel the perpetrators of the violence and assured that they would be arrested and prosecuted just as it was obtainable in other local government areas where similar violence was witnessed.
Eyewitnesses however said two persons were killed by strayed bullets shot by Mobile Policemen deployed to the area while trying to tackle the situation.
Meanwhile, the APC chairman in Shiroro local government, Mr Peter Kaburu also told our correspondent that he got the report that two persons were killed and four others injured. He added that a female member of the monitoring Committee from the APC state office was also injured while their car was destroyed by the thugs.
On his part, the Senator representing Niger East Senatorial District where the violence ensued, Sani Musa has condemned in strong terms the incidence, describing it as unfortunate.
In a press release issued by Senator Sani Musa on Sunday, he said the incidence was unhealthy for political development in the state.
He said politics was not a do-or-die affair and politicians must imbibe the spirit of sportsmanship whereby losers must learn to accept their fate and victors must carry those who have lost along.
“I condemn in strong terms what has happened, and therefore call for investigation into the matter to ascertain what really transpired.
Politics is not a do-or-die affair. Losers must learn to accept their fate and victors must embrace those who lost and work together with them.”
The APC primaries on Saturday witnessed violent clashes among supporters of some of the aspirants as well as between security agents and party supporters in some parts of the state.
Speaking on the forthcoming Local government elections, Senator Sani Musa enjoined the electorate in the state and particularly those in Niger East Senatorial District to exercise their franchise peacefully and to desist from acts capable of jeopardizing the conduct of the election.
He also appealed to security agencies in the state, particularly the Nigerian Police and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps to provide adequate security during the exercise.
“I urge Nigerlites, particularly the people in Zone B to maintain peace and shun acts capable of disrupting the smooth conduct of the election in November. I also use this medium to appeal to the security agencies to deploy their officers and men to provide adequate security cover for the people,” Senator Sani Musa said.