From Maiharaji Altine, Gusau
Supporters of Senator Kabiru Garba Marafa’s faction of the All Progressive Congress (APC) in Zamfara state have cautioned Governor Bello Mattawale to stop attacking their members, otherwise they would take action to defend themselves.
Addressing a press conference in Gusau on Monday, the spokesperson of the Marafa’s faction, Bello Bakyasuwa Maradun said, they were tired of persistent attacks, harassment and intimidation from Governor Bello Mattawale simply because they chose to remain with Senator Kabiru Marafa.
Bakyasuwa said, some members of the Marafa APC faction had on several occasions been attacked by political thugs belonging to Governor Matawalle’s faction, warning that, “We will not fold our arms to watch these unfortunate events to continue”.
He cited an example with the last attack of Shamsu Shehu who is the chairman of Senator Kabiru Social Media Forum who was attacked by political thugs near the Government House Gusau last Friday.
He said, “The Chairman of the social media forum of the Sen. Marafa-led faction of APC, Shamsu Shehu popularly known as Shamsu Kasida was attacked by hoodlums who by all manifestations are political thugs belonging to Matawalle faction”.
“Specifically, on Friday 14th January, 2022, Mr. Kasida was attacked at a point directly opposite the Government House in Gusau, the state capital of Zamfara state”.
“He was injured and his vehicle was vandalized by thugs who later ran into the Government House where they comfortably took refuge”.
‘On behalf of the Marafa-led APC faction, we condemn in totality, this cowardly and uncivilized act by Matawalle-led APC faction and Zamfara state government who resort to hiring political thugs to attack their opponents and critics simply because they want to silence anyone having the potential to expose their glaring failures”.
“It is an established fact that the organized political thugs who attacked Kasida are well known to us as tools being used by Marawalle- led APC faction and state government against the Marafa faction”.
“Otherwise how can a team of thugs attack our social media chairman opposite Zamfara state Government House and run directly into it without any resistance from the security?”
“The fact that Marafa-led faction of APC is law abiding does not mean we will sit back and watch our members being harassed”.
“You may also wish to recall that this is not the first time an attack on Marafa loyalists was organized by the same Matawalle factional thugs”.
Bakyasuwa maintained that during their Local Government Congresses in December last year, same Matawalle factional thugs attacked their people who were only exercising their constitutional responsibility.
“On this note, I therefore wish to draw the attention of the Commissioner of Police in the state to as a matter of urgency track, arrest and bring the perpetrators to book, otherwise we will be forced to take the necessary action according to the laws of the land”.
“I believe the Commissioner of Police is fully aware about all the incidents and has identified and knew the thugs who are operating under Matawalle faction as well but chooses not to take action because he is being used by the government”. Concluded Bakyasuwa
