The African Democratic Congress Presidential Campaign Council has issued a strict 24-hour ultimatum to law enforcement agencies in Sokoto State to take decisive action against operatives of the Sokoto Marshals. The security outfit is accused of orchestrating a violent assault on the party's governorship flagbearer, Munir Dan Iya.
According to official statements, the incident unfolded along the Sokoto Airport Road as Dan Iya made his way back into the state capital after receiving former governor Aminu Waziri Tambuwal. The campaign organization reported that armed operatives intercepted the movement, smashed multiple vehicles within the convoy, and completely damaged the candidate's personal utility vehicle.
What were the specific allegations made by the campaign council?
In a formal press release disseminated via social media and endorsed by Kola Ologbondiyan, who serves as the Director of Media and Publicity for the ADC- PCC, the party detailed several grave infractions. Beyond the physical destruction of property, the campaign alleged that two Department of State Services personnel assigned to protect the governorship hopeful were forcefully taken away during the confrontation.
Furthermore, the council accused the Sokoto Marshals of establishing a pattern of intimidation at major entry points into the metropolis. They claimed that the state-sponsored guards routinely harass motorists and single out vehicles bearing campaign materials, posters, and symbols associated with the opposition party.
What steps have been taken by the aggrieved party?
The leadership of the ADC confirmed that formal complaints regarding the assault have already been lodged with the Sokoto State Commissioner of Police. Describing the actions of the state-owned security network as a direct assault on democratic norms, the campaign organization condemned the behavior in unequivocal terms.
"This is not governance. It is banditry in uniform, and it must not be tolerated in a democracy," the council declared in their published statement.
The political bloc has directly called upon the Nigeria Police Force Inspector-General, the state police commissioner, and other relevant security formations to immediately launch a comprehensive investigation. They stressed the urgent need to secure the safe return of the abducted security agents and bring the perpetrators to justice.
Concluding its address, the campaign council cautioned that inaction or delay beyond the stipulated 24-hour window would compel the party to explore alternative legal avenues to safeguard the lives of its supporters and defend their constitutional political freedoms.