By Seyifunmi Odunuga
A socio-political group, South West Media Outreach for Atiku Abubakar, has described the recent attack on the campaign train of the presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Alhaji Atiku Abubakar in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, as an ominous signal ahead of the 2023 general elections.
It would be recalled that the attack by suspected political thugs who pelted the convoy with stones and dangerous weapons caused bodily injuries to some people, including journalists and unwanted damages to many vehicles on the campaign train.
The group in a statement in Ibadan, by its Coordinator, Mr Kola Ilori, took a swipe at the unwarranted attack, describing it as sinister and irresponsible, stating that the attack particularly on innocent journalists who were on official assignment was a bad omen for democracy and socio-political development of the country.
According to him, it was strange that the Borno State Police Command denied the incident in spite of the audio and visual evidence-based of the attack, noting that the Inspector General of Police has however debunked the claims of the command by instituting a panel to investigate the attack which goes to show that there are dangers ahead of the 2023 elections.
“It is incumbent on the Police and other security agencies to brace up and ensure that campaigns are not marred by the violence of any form”, he warned.
Ilori maintained that the rush by the Borno State Police Command to deny an event that was trending on social media has further damaged the police as capable of neutrality in the coming elections.
He said, “The signals from Borno State portends danger that should not be swept under the carpet and this is why the outcome of intervention by the IGP should restore the confidence that the 2023 elections would be violence-free.”
The group then lauded Alhaji Abubakar, for what it called his “demonstrated statesmanship, as a man of peaceful disposition by urging his supporters in Borno State not to retaliate.”
