PDP:Hoodlums ambush Atiku’s campaign, harm supporters, vehicles

About three persons sustained varying degrees of injury on Monday,November 21st, in a clash involving a local gang, Kalare Boys, and supporters of Presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar. 

Atiku was in Gombe, for his presidential campaign for the upcoming 2023 elections when his supporters were ambushed along the Pantami Stadium Road. 

Three vehicles, a bus, a car and one Keke NAPEP, were damaged. 

The Publicity Secretary of the Peoples Democratic Party(PDP) in the state, Usman Muritala, said he was not aware of the attack since he was not included in the campaign planning that was happening 

“I was not on the podium and was only there as an official of the party so I sat like every other person to watch the whole show. There is a division in the party, a very big one,” he pointed out. 

Trouble began after Atiku left with his entourage through Gate Number Two of Pantami Stadium for Bauchi.

Kalare boys,armed with cutlasses, swords, clubs and other weapons, pounced on innocent party supporters, who were returning back to their respective houses.

The police, who were manning Gate Number One of the stadium, quickly dispersed a detachment of armed policemen to the second gate to provide security for supporters, who were by then already rushing back into the stadium for safety.

Many supporters were stranded at the stadium while waiting for the police to restore peace and order as the Kalare boys blocked the route to Pantami Market and Government House, attacking passersby.