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From Paul Orude, Bauchi
The Coalition of United Civil Society Organisations in Bauchi State has appealed to President Muhammadu Buhari to call Air Marshal Saddique Abubakar (retd), the All Progressives Congress (APC) candidate for governor, to order over killings that have dogged his campaigns in parts of the state.
The coalition observed that several citizens had been shot dead while many were left injured during the APC gubernatorial campaign rallies at Akuyam, Toro and Duguri, the hometown of Governor Bala Mohammed of the People’s Democratic Party (PDP)
In an open letter addressed to the President entitled, AIR MARSHAL SADIQUE ABUBAKAR SHOW OF FORCE AND VIOLENT INTIMIDATION IN BAUCHI STATE: AN OPEN LETTER, the group urged the President to urgently call Abubakar to order to prevent further bloodshed ahead of the March 18 Governorship and State Assembly Elections.
“For the love of peace, progress and development of Bauchi state the above-named coalition wishes to notify you on the pressing issue at hand as referenced in the above subject matter,” the letter signed by Dr Yunusa Idris Ndargomi, the Converner, stated.
“Air Marshal Sadique Abubakar’s campaign trail has been nothing but a calamity to the good and peace-loving people of Bauchi State, reasons being that:
“His campaign is characterised by a show of force and violent intimidation on innocent citizens who in one way or the other showed disapproving gestures against his aspirations.
“Security attached to him has shot and killed two innocent persons in Akuyam district of Misau LGA while on a campaign tour, the reason for that act of violence remains a show of intolerance in a democratic setting.
“Same scenario happened in Gumau town of Toro LGA where thugs and security attached to him fired live ammunition into dispersing crowd as they shouted the slogan “Bamayi” in the process injuring scores
“Recently security attached to him also shot five innocent people in the Duguri district of Alkaleri LGA of the state, killing one person in the process and injuring many.
“Mr President may wish to know that, in all the above-listed instances the person in question has never for once shown empathy and has neither visited the families of the victims nor sympathised with their families or their communities.
“This has further confirmed the notion that the APC flag bearer has approved the use of violent intimidation against the innocent citizens he so desires to rule”
They pleaded with the President to, as a matter of urgency, call Abubakar to order and caution the security to avoid being partisan in their line of duties.
