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External part of Gombe PDP Chairman’s office torched with fire
By Akanji Alowolodu, Gombe
Yet to be identified hoodlums suspected to be political thugs have attacked, vandalized and burnt the State Secretariat of the main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the North-East Business Communities for Atiku for President 2023.
The PDP which said that it suspected foul play alleging that it was a deliberate action, called on the security operatives in the state to embark on discrete investigation into the attack on its offices to unraveling the culprits.
Both offices were in the early hours of Tuesday, 01/02/2022 vandalized by yet to be identified persons with valuable properties destroyed and others carted away while main office of the PDP Chairman was actually set on fire which consumed many valuables.
According to the Coordinator, North-East Business Communities for Atiku for President 2023, Dr. Ali Bappayo Adamu, they received a distress call from the security guards on duty of their office that hoodlums had over powered them and completely vandalized the office around 02:00pm.
He also said that they lost a lot in the attack with some of their air conditioners being carted away and called on security agencies to make a discrete investigation into the attack to ascertain the culprits and bring them to book.
Also speaking on the attack on the PDP Secretariat, the State Chairman, Major General Abnon Kwaskebe (rtd), described the attack on their office as the work of arsonists.
According to him, “this is a violent approach to politics which must not be condoned. He called for investigation that will reveal the arsonists so that the law will take it’s course” .
In a swift reaction, the ruling All Progressives Congress, (APC), distanced itself and its members from the attack on the PDP Secretariat advising the party to look elsewhere for the people who attacked its offices.
An official of the APC who spoke to Journalists claimed that just before the attack on PDP Secretariat, yet to be identified hoodlums attacked its structure along Bauchi road.
The Gombe State Police Commissioner, Ishola Babaitan, confirmed the attacks and added that he had already gone round all the affected facilities including ‘zangon gwamna’, an APC supporters canopy that was also vandalized.
He said that he had scheduled a meeting with all stakeholders after which he will issue a formal statement.
While reacting to the development, Government of Gombe State condemned in strongest terms, the ugly activities of some political thugs acting under the clear instruction and supervision of the enemies of the peace loving people and Government of Gombe State by setting ablaze an APC office and another political party’s office.
According to a press release by the State Commissioner of Information, Julius Ishaya Lepes, “This show of desperation is the trade mark of some power and blood thirsty people who lost control of the State treasury and are hell bent on returning, and so have resorted to unleashing violence on the peaceful polity of the State which is the envy of other states”.
He also stated that, “We wish to remind all and sundry irrespective of political affiliation that we are in a democracy and the only means of getting to power is through the ballot box which time is yet to come” .
“We also wish to state categorically clear that the Government of Alh. Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya will continue do everything to ensure the protection of people’s lives and property”, the Commissioner stated further.
According to him, “We will bring all the perpetrators of this dastardly act to book. We wish to commend the security agents in the state for promptly bringing the situation under control. We will continue to give all security operatives in the state the needed support to deal decisively with everyone that will bring about the breaking of peace In the State”.
He stressed that, “For the avoidance of doubt, our Government will not spare anybody regardless of his or her position who intends to disrupt the current peaceful coexistence which this government labored to create and sustain”.
Ishaya Lepes added that, “In the meantime, we want to encourage the peace loving and law abiding citizens of the State to continue following the path of peace in their respective endeavors and be law abiding in all their dealings”.
