No fewer than five persons have been confirmed dead with many injured as aides and loyalists of the Governor of Gombe State, Inuwa Yahaya, and his predecessor, Senator Danjuma Goje, clashed on Saturday.
The death toll from the clash was contained in a statement by the State Commissioner for Information and Culture, Julius Ishaya Lepes.
Both the Yahaya and Goje sides to the clash are however giving different versions of what led to the clash.
While Yahaya accused the Goje of using thugs to cause mayhem, the senator said its was the Aide-De-Camp of his successor that organised those who attacked him.
Yahaya said in the statement on Saturday: “The former Governor, in his characteristic manner, decided to mobilise thugs from various LGAs armed to their teeth under the pretext of accompanying him from the airport into the State capital for reasons best known to him.”
The statement reads in part: “Recall that during the last Eid el-Kabir Sallah celebration, the same person sponsored some thugs that threw caution into the wind and went on rampage, leading to loss of 2 lives. Also just last week at Deba in Yamaltu Deba LGA the same scenario played out at the instance of the Senator.
“It is sad that Goje has not left his old ways and is bent on bringing back his brainchild (Kalare) to unleash mayhem and bug the peaceful atmosphere of Gombe State.
“Gombe state has been witnessing relative peace and harmony due largely to the determination and avowed commitment of Governor Inuwa Yahaya in that direction and therefore the government would not stand by and watch desperate politicians unleash terror and violence on innocent citizens to the extent of getting people killed.
“While sympathising with families of the five people killed and those who sustained various degrees of injuries, Government commends the security agencies for their timely intervention in bringing the ugly situation under control.
“His Excellency, Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya as the Chief Security officer of the State, will not renege on his responsibilities and therefore will do everything necessary to protect the lives and property of the citizenry.
“Government will make sure that perpetrators of the unfortunate act, no matter how highly placed are brought to book.”
Goje, who represents Gombe Central Senatorial District on the platform of the All Progressives Congress, narrated in his own statement how the Aide-De-Camp of his successor blocked and attacked his convoy on his way to attend the wedding of his granddaughter, Fatima Abdullahi Musa, in Gombe town.
The former Governor said this in a statement by his media aide, Lilian Nworie.
He said: “Distinguished senator’s trip was peaceful until when the governor’s aides including his aide-de-camp blocked the road. For two hours, they unleashed terror on Senator Goje and those in his convoy.
“It is unfortunate that one live was lost and many cars vandalised including the Senator’s vehicle. They smashed the windscreen. All efforts to make the governor’s aide-de-camp remove the blockade yielded no result as he insisted that he got instruction from the above that the former governor should not be allowed into the town.”
Nworie said the Governor’s driver, Aminu Hula, and Gombe State All Progressives Congress Youth Leader, Kawu Lero, have been arrested by the Gombe State Police Command.
She said: “They have been arrested but the aide-de-camp who led the people to attack the former governor had since returned to those who sent him. The aide-de-camp said he was acting based on order from the above. In this case, it is his boss, Gombe State Governor.”
She said the former governor as a peace loving leader of the state has urged his teeming supporters to be calm and law abiding and called for independent investigation of matter.
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