March 25, 2023

Suspected hoodlums vandalised the Zamfara anti-thuggery agency’s secretariat during the March 21 post-election violence in the state after announcement of governorship election results.

The Commandant, Bello Bakyasuwa, disclosed this while speaking with newsmen in Gusau on Saturday.

Gusau, the state capital, on March 21, recorded post election violence as hoodlums joined the PDP in celebration of the governorship election victory.

The violence led to vandalism of APC offices, billboards, destruction and looting of government’s offices and properties worth millions of naira.

The state police command in a statement, said it had arrested 40 suspected hoodlums for the alleged violence.

Bakyasuwa described the violence as an ugly incident.

He condemned the level of theft and destruction by some alleged party supporters in the state.

He noted that the agency remained apolitical and was established by Gov. Bello Matawalle to complement security agencies, to promote peace and stability in the state.

According to him, two operation vehicles of the agency, including a Hilux and Pegeout 406 saloon belonging to the agency, were stolen by the hoodlums.

He said properties worth N50 million at the Secretariat were stolen by the hoodlums.

“As a I am speaking to you, the main gate of our Secretariat has been removed, windows, doors and furniture of our offices were removed and stolen by the hoodlums

“All our offices, including conference room, store, kitchen clinic and pharmacy were vandalised and all properties inside stolen.

“All the properties in our tailoring unit with uniform worth millions of naira, ICT Centre have been vandalised and stolen.”

He said the agency was working with security agencies to ensure the arrest of the perpetrators.

In his reaction, the Secretary, Publicity Committee, PDP Governorship Campaign Council, Ahmad Shatiman-Rijiya, said PDP had no hand in the post election violence.

Shatiman-Rijiya said PDP had been existing in the state since 1999 but never record violence.

“Our members have no hand in attacking, destruction or stealing of APC supporters or property.

“How do you expect, we the PDP that recorded victory to cause violence, I am telling you this is not true,” he added. (NAN)