Lawmaker tackles Taraba gov over ‘APC members’ arrest’

The Lawmaker representing Wukari/Ibi Federal Constituency in the House of Representatives, Hon. Danjuma Shiddi, on Friday, called on the relevant agencies of government and the international community to place Governor Darius Ishaku of Taraba State on the watch list for ‘undermining democracy through arrest, detention and intimidation of opposition members”.

In a statement issued in Jalingo and signed by the lawmaker, Shiddi alleged that for several months now, some members of All Progressives Congress in Taraba have been “locked up on the orders of the governor”.

The lawmaker alleged that Yakubu Samaila, Ma’aji Shekarau Masa-Ibi, Danladi Jibatswen Zozo, APC Chairman, Wukari Local Government, and Mr. Meshack Dan-Azumi, the Senator Emmanuel Bwacha Campaign Council coordinator in Wukari LGA “were being held in detention facilities in the State on the orders of the governor”.

The statement read, “Yesterday again, we woke up to a shameful arrest and remand of Alh. Gambo Hashimu the Deputy Director-General of my Senate Campaign Council, and Hon Abdullahi Shuaibu, an APC stalwart in Zing who stood surety for the aforementioned persons.

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“We fear that if those whose responsibility is to protect and uphold justice under Governor Darius administration fail to do so, their decision to affirm his authority albeit unlawfully on our silent but grieving people will continue to attract public disdain and outrage.

“Moreso, given the video evidence on the attack on defenseless members of our party and particularly Hon. Yakubu Samaila Young JP, which went viral, showing a graphic account of how the gory incident transpired, ostensibly at the instance of Governor Darius and his cohorts, one could deduce that the attack was carried out by young people induced by state funds.

“As things stand in Taraba State today, there is no democracy as prescribed by the nation’s constitution. Nearly everyone who dares to oppose the administration is being muzzled under the Darius administration.

“The judiciary especially the lower courts is not spared of this intimidation, as it is now being used for Governor Darius’ and his cohorts’ hatchet jobs to muzzle and incarcerate assertive citizens who dared to call him out for his unlawful actions and inactions,” the statement read.

Reacting to the allegations, the Special Assistant to the Governor on Media and Publicity, Bala Dan-Abu, said his principal has no hand in the alleged arrest and detention of anyone in the state.

“The police commissioner is not reporting to the governor. So, I see no reason why someone will accuse the governor of arresting and detaining anyone.

“The lawmaker should tell the public what those he alleged to have been arrested have done to warrant the arrest. The governor is too busy with governance issues and can not come down so low to do what Shiddi is accusing him of.”