Security operatives on Wednesday reportedly clashed with supporters of the African Democratic Party (ADC), during a rally in kaduna state yesterday.
No known casualty was reported during the clash, but eyewitness account said tear gas were fired and some ADC supporters were allegedly caned mercilessly by the security opportunities during the clash held at warff road and Muhammadu Buhari way around 5pm.
Our correspondent who witnessed the concluding parts of the clash reported that a large number of police operational vehicles were sighted on queue with heavy numbers of police personnel deployed the scene.
Some of the supporters met with ADC governorship flagbearer Isa Ashiru Kudan posters and fliers said they were on sensitization rally to marks the commencement of campaign according to INEC election guidelines, when blocked.
They explained that the rally started from Murtala Mohammed square peaceful until somewhere along waff road where it was attacked by security operatives especially vigilantes popularly known as KADVIS, for trying to blocking road.
According to our reporter who was a star witness, while the supporters, in their large numbers were running aimlessly at different direction,s, police vehicles were over 8 with personnel on standby while some were moving upward at the direction of the ADC supporters and pushing them backwards.
Contacted through calls and messages, the state police command spokesman Asp Mansur Hassan could neither pick call or responded to the messages til the tie of filing this report.
However, the state chairman of ADC Hon. Tijani Mustapha confirmed the clashed saying it was KADVIS earlier according to what he was told and video obtained from his members.
He however said he was out of town Wednesday when the incident occurred but has been furnished with some of the videos of the actions by members he forwarded to journalists.
The ADC youths in an emergency, press conference Wednesday alleged police clampdown on Ashiru supporters, threaten legal action against police.
Youth groups supporting the governorship candidate of the ADC in Kaduna State, Isa Ashiru, accused the security agencies of disrupting their solidarity rally in support of the opposition candidate ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
The youths alleged that security operatives, including personnel of the Kaduna State Vigilance Service, popularly known as KADVIS, and the police, prevented them from holding the rally after they had reportedly obtained approval from relevant authorities.
Addressing a press conference in Kaduna, the leader of the ADC youth groups, Ibrahim Sanusi Maikudi, described the incident as an attempt to intimidate opposition supporters and restrict their constitutional rights to peaceful assembly.
Maikudi alleged that the security operatives deployed to the area were led by a police officer whom he identified as Usman Abindiga.
He said, “We planned to hold a solidarity walk for our principal. As we all know, today is the beginning of the governorship campaign season of 2027.
“We sought approval from all relevant authorities, including the police, the Road Safety Commission and the Red Cross to assist with unforeseen circumstances. But to our surprise, when we came out, we saw about 30 trucks of Nigerian Police with KADVIS.”
The ADC youth leader alleged that the security personnel attempted to disrupt the gathering and intimidate some of the organisers.
He appealed to the Inspector-General of Police to investigate the conduct of the security personnel involved, particularly personnel, whom he accused of orchestrating the disruption.
Maikudi said the youths would not be deterred from supporting Ashiru, insisting that the opposition supporters had remained resilient despite what he described as previous attempts to frustrate their political activities.
He said, “Most of us are teenagers; some of us just finished university. These are the people that Uba Sani is afraid of.”
Maikudi further alleged that the incident was part of a pattern of disruption of opposition activities in the state, claiming that similar incidents had occurred during the political activities of former Kaduna State Governor Nasir El-Rufai and Ashiru.
He said, “This is not the beginning. It started right from the day we were in the SDP. They attacked Malam Nasir El-Rufai and us in Kaduna. They did the same in Zaria.
“Last year, these people arrested people, stopped and disrupted events more times than I can count. Until today, we are still coming out.”
The youth leader said the group was preparing legal action over the alleged disruption, adding that details of the planned action would be made public within the next week.
He vowed that the incident would not discourage the youths from campaigning for Ashiru, saying they were determined to mobilise support for the ADC candidate ahead of the election.
“We will assure every Kaduna State person that even if we are the only people remaining in ADC, we will still come out and give Uba Sani a headache,” Maikudi said.
He called on civil society organisations, media practitioners and other Nigerians to pay attention to what he described as the shrinking political space in Kaduna State.
“We want to call on all civil societies, media influencers and every right-thinking Nigerian that this is what is happening in Kaduna, and we must tell the world our story. Nobody is going to stop us,” he said.
The incident occurred as political parties intensified preparations for the 2027 general elections, with Kaduna expected to witness a keen contest for the governorship seat.
The ADC has adopted Ashiru as its governorship candidate for the election, while the incumbent, Uba Sani, is seeking re-election on the platform of the All Progressives Congress.
When contacted, the Kaduna State Police Command Public Relations Officer, Mansir Hassan, could not be reached for comment as of the time of filing this report.
