Jigawa APC chieftains decry police brutality at state function

Some chieftains and loyal supporters of the All Progressives Congress in Jigawa State have accused the police of excessive force and brutality after officers allegedly fired tear gas at party faithful attending a government-organised event in the Gagarawa Local Government Area on Sunday.

The incident occurred during the fifth edition of the Government and Citizens Engagement Programme, a flagship initiative of Governor Umar Namadi’s administration aimed at strengthening community involvement in governance.

Eyewitnesses said chaos broke out when Nazifi Gumel, a federal lawmaker representing Gumel, Gagarawa, Maigatari, and Sule-Tankarkar, arrived at the venue with a large crowd of APC supporters from across the state.

Despite their affiliation with the ruling party, the police reportedly attempted to block their entry and dispersed the crowd using tear gas.

Several attendees, including prominent APC chieftains, were visibly distressed by the police action, which left some injured and many emotionally shaken.

“We were officially invited to the programme, only to be tear-gassed at the gate,” said Sani Adamu, a local party leader. “If our presence wasn’t needed, then why extend invitations in the first place?”

Another supporter, Aminu Suleiman, broke down in tears after inhaling the tear gas. “We answered the government’s call to participate, only to be treated like criminals,” he said.

Uwar Malam, a respected party supporter, was seen bleeding from a minor injury, crying and calling for help.

Speaking in  Hausa language, she lamented: “This is unacceptable. We came only to show support and love for our Governor.”

Abba Isa, another APC loyalist, described the police action as “unjustified and provocative,” insisting the crowd posed no threat. “There was no chaos until the police started firing tear gas.”

The outcry from supporters has led to calls for an official apology from the Jigawa State Police Command, as well as assurances that such incidents will not repeat.

Efforts to reach key government officials for clarification—including the Chief Press Secretary to the Governor, Hamisu Gumel, and the State Commissioner for Information, Sagir Musa—were unsuccessful, as phone calls went unanswered.

When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Shi’isu Adam, claimed the command was unaware of the incident as of the time he was reached.

He promised that further information would be made public following a thorough investigation.