One killed, five injured as APC House of Reps primary turns violent in Plateau
Young Man Killed, Five Injured in APC Primary Election Violence in Plateau State
A young man, Sani Abdullahi, was fatally shot on Sunday, and five others sustained injuries during a violent incident at an All Progressives Congress (APC) House of Representatives primary election in the Kasuwa Ali Community of Mangu Local Government Area, Plateau State.
Witnesses reported that Abdullahi, a Kasuwan Ali resident, was killed by soldiers amid a dispute over the delayed start of the primary election, originally scheduled for Saturday but postponed to Sunday.
Dantala Hassan, a community resident who witnessed the event, stated that tensions escalated when APC members began to protest the postponement. The primary had been delayed due to the absence of returning officers, which fueled frustrations among party supporters.
“The exercise was supposed to take place on Saturday morning but was canceled because no returning officers were present,” Hassan explained. “This led to protests, with youths claiming the delay was intentional.”
As the situation deteriorated, he noted that demonstrators began to throw stones at security forces dispatched to the venue. In response, soldiers reportedly opened fire, with Abdullahi being struck by a stray bullet, resulting in his immediate death. Five additional individuals were injured and subsequently transported to a nearby hospital for treatment.
Hassan described the unfolding events: “When government officials attending the primary attempted to leave due to the absence of electoral officers, some youths blocked the road and insisted they would not disperse until the officers arrived. The arrival of security personnel to manage the protest prompted the youths to react with stone-throwing.”
Attempts to contact the Plateau State Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Alfred Alabo, and the Media Information Officer of Operation Enduring Peace, Captain Polycarp Oteh, for further confirmation of the incident were unsuccessful, as neither responded to inquiries.
