In this article, SUCCESS NWOGU takes a cursory look at the rising wave of violence in Kwara State as the general elections draw nearer

Although its sobriquet is “State of Harmony,” the happenings in Kwara State political space are less than harmonious. The leading political parties in the state, the All Progressives Congress and the Peoples Democratic Party, appear perpetually at daggers drawn. The rising wave of violence in the state has witnessed attacks on party members and supporters in an orgy many see as avoidable. A new dimension was recently added to the phenomenon as attacks have been carried out on billboards and posters across the state.

Some of the stakeholders that expressed worry over the unfortunate development included the state Governor, Alhaji Abdulfatah Ahmed; the state APC leader, Dr. Bukola Saraki, the state APC chairman, Alhaji Ishola Balogun-Fulani; the Speaker of the Kwara State House of Assembly, Mr. Razak Atunwa and the Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Justice, Dr. Ali Ahmad.

Others who are also worried by the ugly development include the Minister of National Planning, Dr. Sulaiman Abubakar; Kwara PDP governorship candidate, Simeon Ajibola; the Director-General of Ajibola’s campaign organisation, Mr. John Dara; the state PDP spokesperson, Chief Rex Olawoye; the governorship candidate of the Labour Party, Dr. Mike Omotosho, and the state Chairman of the All Governorship Candidates Forum of Nigeria, Mr. Lekan Alabi. The state security council comprising the Department of State Service; military and paramilitary agencies as well as the Commissioner of Police, Kwara State Command, Mr. Salihu Garba, also expressed concern over the rising political violence.

Ahmed had, through his Senior Special Assistant on Media and Communication, Dr. Muyideen Akorede, said hoodlums suspected to be PDP thugs vandalised 20 vehicles owned by APC members and supporters at Share, Ahmed’s hometown. He said the thugs were returning from Ajibola’s campaign tour in Patigi.

Ahmed alleged that the thugs, on seeing that some of the vehicles parked by the roadside at Share, Olupako, First Bank area, were branded in APC colours, alighted from their vehicles and vandalised the vehicles.

According to him, residents of the area, on sighting the rampaging thugs, fled for dear lives.

Our correspondent gathered that eight of the vandalised vehicles in Share were branded in APC colours while the rest had APC logos on them. The governor expressed great concern over the recent wave of violence being unleashed by suspected political thugs on innocent people of the state.

The governor said, “The orgy of violence from Kaiama to Isapa and, of recent, Share, my hometown, are just a few of the numerous activities of PDP miscreants. On Sunday, on their way back from a campaign tour in parts of Kwara-North through Share, some PDP thugs again attacked innocent citizens and destroyed about 20 cars parked by the roadside. We view this unprovoked action of the brigands too unhealthy for a fragile economy like ours. Besides, we are gradually losing the toga of “Harmony” due to the activities of those seeking power by any means, both legal and illegal.”

Ahmed also called on law enforcement authorities to intensify efforts at protecting innocent and law-abiding citizens of the state and prevent further attacks on the people. He also urged them to arrest and prosecute culprits.

Fulani-Balogun alleged that hoodlums suspected to be PDP thugs had attacked many APC leaders and supporters. He accused the PDP of being an unrepentant promoter of violence. He also accused the police of complicity over the sad occurrences.

He said, “According to the revelations by residents of Ilorin, a candidate of the PDP has camped suspected hired assassins in different hotels ahead of the forthcoming general elections. We have duly petitioned relevant security agencies on this disturbing revelation.

Disturbingly, the fact that the police have handled the violent PDP and its rampaging thugs with kid gloves points to, perhaps, a collaboration between the police and the PDP in Kwara State. If indeed there is no collaboration between the police and the PDP, the police command should show and assure the people of Kwara State that it is in charge of the security of the state.”

Atunwa said more worrisome is the allegation that guns had been imported into the state. He further alleged that the perpetrators had taken delivery of guns and had distributed them to their marksmen. He urged security agencies to thoroughly investigate the issue and bring the culprits to book.

Saraki said the spate of political violence in the state could be linked to “new people” just coming into the politics of the state. He alleged that the violence was targeted against APC members and supporters in order to incite his followers. He said he had spoken to APC members and supporters to maintain peace, adding that security agencies should hold leaders of the different parties in the state accountable.

He said, “I have told them that you don’t win elections by destroying billboards. My view is that political leaders should be held responsible as it is the practice all over the world. The leaders must be made to know that the International Court is there for such cases.”

But the PDP in Kwara denied the allegations by the APC, saying they were at the receiving end of the violence perpetrated by APC members and suspected thugs.

Abubakar, who is the PDP leader in Kwara State, alleged that a PDP supporter, Alfa Saadudeen, of Kuntu area in Ilorin-West Local Government Area was killed last Friday. While condemning the killing, he urged security agencies to probe the allegation with a view to bringing the culprits to book. He added that security agencies should live up to expectations in order to avert a possible breakdown of law and order. The minister of national planning said, “Inasmuch as we preach and embrace peace among our supporters, those who take delight in carrying out heinous acts such as the killing of innocent citizen Saadu as it happened last Friday, must also be called to order and brought to justice. The destruction of our posters by APC hirelings who are doing their masters’ bidding cannot stop the wind of change blowing across the state.”

Dara raised the alarm that Ajibola’s campaign train was also attacked in Oke-Oyi, headquarters of Ilorin-East LGA of Kwara State penultimate Monday. He further said the governorship candidate’s convoy was waylaid by unknown gunmen who allegedly shot at the SUVs in the convoy.

He said that in the ensuing ordeal, the attackers smashed the booth of Ajibola’s car and bolted away with N250, 000 but that he and Ajibola fled to safety. Dara added that buses bearing PDP logos were also vandalised. He said no life was, lost in the attack.

Olawoye later raised the alarm that his party had lately been subjected to many attacks.

He absolved the PDP members and candidates of culpability in the alleged attacks against APC members.

But the publicity secretary of the ruling APC in Kwara State, Alhaji Sulyman Buhari, advised the opposition party to look within its fold for Ajibola’s attackers. Buhari said the perpetrators of violence against the PDP in Kwara were PDP members and supporters. He also absolved APC members of perpetrating violence in the state, saying the PDP was being consumed by intraparty crises.

Condemning the attack on Ajibola, Buhari said: “The PDP cannot continue to wish away its intraparty crises. Many of the governorship aspirants who lost out at the controversial governorship primary of the PDP are still aggrieved till today. Perhaps, supporters of one of the aspirants attacked the PDP governorship candidate.”

The LP governorship candidate, Omotosho, said the rising political violence in the state was unacceptable. He noted that Kwara State was famous for the peaceful coexistence of its residents and wondered why people who want to serve would engage in violence. He said, “I feel very horrible about the attacks. Our youths should resist any attempt by anybody wanting to use them as thugs. It is extremely important that we see one another as a family. Leadership is an opportunity to serve; I see no reason why people should kill for it.

The state commissioner of police said the growing spate of political violence in the state was worrisome. He said he had received a “Rise to the occasion” signal from the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Sulaiman Abba, on the sad trend. He said thugs had graduated from using knives to fire arms and warned that the police would henceforth clampdown on political miscreants in the state.

The CP urged political leaders in the state to caution their supporters against violent acts. “Thuggery is now becoming an acceptable norm in our society. I have gone round the nooks and crannies of the state to preach peace but unfortunately, rather than peace, it is violence that we are witnessing almost every day,” he said.

Alabi said the attacks were a negation of the peace accord signed by 16 political parties and their governorship candidates. He called on all the parties and their candidates to respect and abide by the spirit of the Ilorin Accord and condemn perpetrators of violence.

The Kwara State Security Council introduced a possible solution to the violence by canvassing that all candidates for elective positions in the state should sign a covenant with security agencies to maintain peace and order before, during and after the forthcoming general elections.

Secretary to Kwara State Government, Alhaji Shola Gold, said the state security council, at its meeting, expressed concerns over the increase in political violence in the countdown to the general elections, stressing that the situation had created serious challenges in the state.

He said the council also urged the police to prosecute all pending cases of violence in order to halt the phenomenon.

As March 28 and April 11 elections date draw near, Kwara residents expect a return to peace and tranquility.