Two persons believed to be supporters of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) were reportedly injured in a shooting allegedly involving operatives of the Sokoto State Community Guards on Wednesday.
The incident was said to have occurred along the Sokoto-Wurno Road as supporters were travelling to attend the campaign rally of the party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, in Sokoto State.
According to eyewitness accounts, the operatives had barricaded the road linking Sokoto metropolis with the eastern part of the state, forcing vehicles conveying rally participants to turn back.
The alleged shooting reportedly followed an altercation between occupants of a vehicle conveying the supporters and the Community Guards at the checkpoint.
The operatives were accused of opening fire during the confrontation, leaving two people with gunshot injuries. The victims were reportedly taken to a hospital for medical attention.
A source said movement through the checkpoint resumed after the intervention of members of the Civilian Joint Task Force accompanying the convoy of Senator Ibrahim Lamido, coordinator of the Sokoto State ADC Presidential Campaign Council.
The reported incident comes amid tensions between the ADC and security operatives in the state.
The Community Guards had previously been accused of attacking the party’s governorship candidate, Manir Muhammad Dan’iya, at the Sultan Abubakar III International Airport in Sokoto.
However, the Sokoto State Police Command said it could not confirm the latest allegation.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Ahmad Rufai, said it had yet to receive information about the reported shooting when contacted.
The circumstances surrounding the incident and the alleged involvement of the Community Guards had therefore not been independently established at the time of the report.
Deborah Adeyefa
