Mohammed Munirat Nasir, Gusau
A faction of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Zamfara State loyal to Senator Kabiru Garba Marafa has condemned the comments by Sanusi Salisu Isah (Mai Baking Zuma), a loyalist of former Governor Abdulaziz Yari Abubakar, over threat to security in the State.
Addressing a press briefing in Gusau, the Publicity Secretary of the faction, Alhaji Bello Bakyasuwa Maradun, described the comments by Salisu Isah, a member of the Yari faction of the party who threatened that the party will take the law into their hands over arrest of their members by the police, as irresponsible and must not be treated lightly.
‘The threat to take law into their hands should not be treated with kids gloves, the government and relevant security agencies must be up and doing to protect and promote the much needed peace achieved in the last one and half years,’ he said.
Bakyasuwa warned members of the Yari faction to avoid making inflammatory and provocative statements or taking actions that may result into the total breakdown of law and order in the State.
‘We (APC Mai Jama’a) faction under the leadership of Senator Kabiru Garba Marafa strongly condemn and disassociate ourselves from such abysmal show of rascality, irresponsibility and threat to the fragile peace in Zamfara State,’ he said.
‘Calling institutionally recognised government and personalities like the State Commissioner of Police ‘Stupid’, this is unacceptable and should be condemned by all and sundry,’ he said.
He called on security agencies to use all available means to deal with any person or group of persons who threaten the peace of the State.
The Publicity Secretary also condemned any attempt to trample on another person’s fundamental human rights or the violation of the country’s constitution or orchestrating any act of aggression for any reason regardless of the person’s political affiliation.
It will be recalled that Salisu Isah, while addressing journalists at APC Secretariat in Gusau on Sunday, following the arrest and release of a chieftain of the party, Alhaji Abubakar Mohammed Dantabawa, and 17 others, threatened that they will take the law into their hands.
‘If the incessant arrest and detention of our members are not stopped by the police, we will be forced to take the law into our hands. Enough is enough,’ he threatened.
Salisu Isah also called the State Police Commissioner unprintable names and alleged that he is working with the PDP led State Government to scuttle the APC in the State.
It will also be recalled that a statement by the Zamfara State Police Command, Police Public Relation Officer (PPRO), SP Mohammed Shehu, on Sunday, in reaction to the allegations by the APC, said that the arrest of Dantabawa and 17 others was not politically motivated.
The police spokesman said the arrest was an intelligence-driven and proactive action by the State Police Command to prevent a possible breach of public peace and ensure that the State continues to enjoy the relative peace that is been enjoying in recent times.