Police, PDP Disagree Over Reports Of Attack On Atiku’s Convoy In Borno

THE Borno State Police Command has denied reports that the convoy of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar was attacked in Maiduguri, Borno State.

There were reports that Atiku’s convoy was attacked in Maiduguri on Wednesday, November 9.

Reports had it that at least 74 persons were hospitalised, and more than 100 vehicles vandalised, in the attack which reportedly occurred when Atiku visited Maiduguri for a campaign rally.

Images of various vandalised vehicles from the attack also surfaced online.

Atiku was in Borno in continuation of his campaigns for the 2023 presidential election.

The spokesman of Atiku’s campaign team Dino Melaye blamed the attack on the All Progressives Congress (APC), the ruling party in Borno State.

Melaye told reporters that about 70 people were hospitalised.

“They wanted to prevent us from holding the campaign. As we speak, 74 people were injured and hospitalised.

“Several vehicles were vandalised by APC thugs,” Melaye said.

However, despite the images of damaged vehicles seen online and the comments of the PDP spokesperson, The state Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Sani Shatambaya, while addressing newsmen Wednesday, said the purported attack was false.

He said, “The news of the attack on Atiku Abubakar’s convoy was not only fake but a false and mischievous attempt at confusing Nigerians.

According to him, Atiku’s campaign team was not attacked in the state on Wednesday.

“It was not true. Nothing of such happened. They had a successful rally, and they are dispersing now,” he said.

When asked about all the images of damaged vehicles purportedly from the venue, he said, “Disregard all that. I am telling you the truth; nothing of such happened. They were not attacked. I am on the ground here. What I am telling you is nothing but the truth.”

Atiku, while speaking at the campaign ground, pledged to end insecurity in the North-East, reactivate the Lake Chad Basin in Borno and reduce the excessive taxation policy in the state.

There were also reports of a violent attack on Atiku’s campaign rally in Kaduna in October by people the PDP termed “sponsored armed hoodlums”.

In a statement by its National Publicity Secretary, Debo Ologunagba, the PDP described the attack as unprovoked and reprehensible.

Ologunagba said the aim of the perpetrators was to frustrate the PDP presidential rally, trigger tension and violence, and cause bloodletting in Kaduna State.