Attack On Atiku: Victim Dies As Police Step Up Investigation

Amidst the bickering by the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, over the alleged attack on the convoy of Atiku Abubakar, the Presidential candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, in Borno state, on Wednesday one of the victims of the attack was said to have died in the hospital.

Mohammed Ali Jajari, the PDP governorship candidate in the state made this known on Friday while speaking on Channels Television, saying other victims of the attack are still in critical conditions after sustaining various degrees of injuries.

The PDP candidate said the deceased died at 9pm on Thursday, even though he did not mention his name.

The PDP candidate was said to have been attacked on his way from the Shehu of Borno’s palace during the party’s campaign rally in the state.

Over 70 people were said to have been injured when Atiku’s convoy came under gun attack by yet-to-be-identified persons.

A slew of vehicles was also destroyed, an incident that is now under investigation according to the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba.

The PDP has called for a thorough investigations into the matter, after it blamed the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC for the attack. The APC has denied the allegations.

Demanding an investigation, Debo Ologunagba, PDP spokesman urged the IGP to investigate the constant attack on its members by the APC hoodlums.

In a statement he issued after the alleged attack on Atiku, Ologunagba said the ruling party is afraid of the overwhelming support the PDP presidential candidate is receiving from Nigerians.

He said the APC cannot stop the momentum by simply unleashing violence on its members.

The statement read in part: “The attack on the PDP Presidential campaign train as it made its way into Maiduguri city amidst thunderous cheers by the people further confirms APC’s frustration, bitter envy and disconcertedness over the overwhelming popularity of the PDP and our Presidential Candidate, Atiku Abubakar in Borno State, the North-East Zone and across the nation; for which the APC has resorted to violence.

“Our Party has information about how agents of certain APC leaders mobilised the thugs with the aim to escalate violence in Maiduguri and prevent the PDP from holding its Presidential Campaign Rally in the State.

“Nigerians witnessed with horror how hundreds of APC’s armed thugs stationed at major roundabouts and intersections in the city of Maiduguri unleashed violence on the PDP Presidential Campaign convoy and innocent citizens going about their lawful activities in a gruesome attack that left over 70 persons gravely injured and hospitalised.

“This attack is consistent with APC’s habitual resort to violence in the face of rejection by the people as also witnessed in the attack on the PDP’s Presidential Campaign Rally in Kaduna State on October 17, 2022.

“APC’s barbaric and anti-social behaviour is contrary to the Peace Accord it signed on September 28, 2022 and constitutes a clear and present danger to democracy, our electoral process and the 2023 general elections.

“It is clear that the APC has since become confused, frenetic and chaotic following the daily mass exodus of its key members into the PDP across the nooks and crannies of the State as witnessed at the PDP Presidential Campaign Rally today in Maiduguri in support of Atiku Abubakar and in clear rejection of the APC Presidential Candidate, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his running mate, Kashim Shettima,” the PDP spokesma said.