Adamawa’s strange season of violence and tears

For any ardent observer, these are not the best of times for Adamawa politicians, and by extension, members of their immediate families.  This is because of the recurring violence and deaths heralding next year’s general elections. Indeed, from the North, Central and even to the Southern senatorial districts of the state, it is the same […]

For any ardent observer, these are not the best of times for Adamawa politicians, and by extension, members of their immediate families.  This is because of the recurring violence and deaths heralding next year’s general elections. Indeed, from the North, Central and even to the Southern senatorial districts of the state, it is the same fear and apprehension over the safety of politicians.

Before the recent happenings, Adamawa’s political climate was known to be peaceful. But now, the lives of politicians are no longer safe. While the police and other security agencies claim to be working assiduously to arrest the ugly trend, it appears that they are not achieving the desired results.

For instance, while the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state continues to mourn the murder of its local chairman in Mubi-North, the late Alhaji Umaru Tafida, who was killed by unknown gunmen, the party and residents of Yola South Local Government Area were, again, thrown into mourning a fortnight ago when a council lawmaker, Abubakar Sadik Arabo, was assassinated by suspected hired killers. The assassins shot him severally and waited confidently to confirm his death before departing. Two of his wives were forced to witness the gruesome murder. No one seems to understand the reason for the father of five’s brutal murder, not even the law enforcement agents investigating his death.

A relation of the deceased who simply identified himself as Babangida, told Sunday Trust correspondent who visited Namtari village that the incident occurred at about 2 am on that Monday. The gunmen numbering about 10, stormed the deceased’s compound, gained entrance into his bedroom through the window they forcefully removed and killed him.  Babangida said the family suspect the incident to be assassination as the gunmen left without taking anything.

The late Arabo’s aged mother and his two widows were said to have pleaded with the gunmen to spare Arabo’s life, but all to no avail.

“His aged mother was around and pleaded with them to take money and spare her son’s life, but they refused,” Babangida said.

Commenting on the incident, the district head of Namtari and Sarkin Kudu Adamawa, Alhaji Isa Mustapha, described it as an unfortunate development and the first of its kind in the area.

The perturbed district head appealed for calm and urged the people to give necessary support to security operatives to arrest the culprits.

While people are wailing and sympathizing with the bereaved family in Namtari, another gang struck, again, in Fufore Local Government Area, attacking a Labour Party chieftain, Alhaji Bala Madugu. This time, the prospective victim narrowly escaped death, though not without various degrees of injuries.

The victim told Sunday Trust that the assailants shot into the air several times to scare people away, while others macheted him severally and left him in the pool of his own blood.

Madugu was said to have recently decamped from the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to the Labour Party (LP), a situation which angered some politicians in the area.

The death of Abubakar Arabo and the attack on the Labour Party’s chieftain have again added to the growing list of murders and attempted murder of top politicians in the state yet to be resolved.

It could be recalled here that only two weeks back, residents of Mubi town were thrown into mourning following the assassination of the chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Mubi, Alhaji Umaru Tafida, by unknown gunmen.

Tafida popularly known as ‘’Pentagon,’’ who was said to be in his 70s, was killed less than 24 hours after he attended the governorship declaration of retired Brigadier General Muhammadu Buba Marwa, the former Lagos State Military Administrator, who has joined the Adamawa State governorship race.

Though there was no suggestion that the late Tafida was shot for attending that rally, it is strongly suspected among the people that his killing was politically motivated. There was apprehension in the town when the bleeding Tafida was rushed to Mubi General Hospital.

In connection with this murder, the embattled chairman of Mubi Local Government Area, Kelvin Peters, was fingered and arrested by the police. However, he has been granted bail while the State’s House of Assembly suspended him for his alleged role in the killing of the PDP chairman.

The Adamawa State Command of the Nigeria Police has assured that it will protect lives and property as, according to the State Command’s Public Relations Officer, PPRO, Altine Daniel (ASP), the police is on top of the situation.

On the arrest of the council chairman Kelvin Peters and three others, the PPRO said that at the appropriate time, full details of the case will be made public.