Gunmen attack Shehu Sani’s campaign office

Armed thugs, on Saturday, swooped on the campaign office of Senator Shehu Sani representing Kaduna Central Senatorial District and attacked members of the Senator’s social media team.

Sani, who made this known on his Facebook wall, accused the state government of responsibility for the attack, stressing that he would not intimidated by the incident.

The Senator and the state governor, Mallam Nasir el-Rufai have been having a running battle the undercurrent of which is believed to be the control of the party in the state, a development that has polarised the All Progressives Congress (APC) into two camps.

Last week, the party announced the indefinite suspension of Sani for anti-party activities and sundry allegations.

“Some few minutes ago, I received a report that some heavily armed thugs raided and attacked my constituency office located at Stadium Roundabout by Constitution Road Kaduna. They unleashed terror on my social media team, who were meeting in the office. They vandalised the office in their violent act.

“We have the lead and the information that thugs were fully recruited and paid by political appointees of Governor Nasiru el-Rufai. We have the names of the political appointees and we have the names of those they are funding. Right now, their details have been given to the DSS and the police for investigation.

“Two days ago, attempt to burn down my family house in Alkalawa Road, Tudun Wada, Kaduna, by sponsored thugs was thwarted by vigilant residents and neighbours, which led to the brief deployment of policemen in the area.

“I wish to state it categorically clear that I hold Governor Nasiru el-Rufai personally responsible for whatever happens to me or any of my family members or supporters. After the use of financial inducement on APC excos in the state to silence Shehu Sani in the name of suspension, which never worked, they have now taken the road of violence.

“The governor of the state or his desperate political appointees should know that we can never ever be silenced, cowered or intimidated. I call on my supporters never to take the road of violence or retaliation. We are men of ideas, of ideals and of peace. Those who take to the road of violence have no place in a democratic society,” he said.

Reacting, the Special Adviser  to the governor on Political Matters, Alhaji  Uba Sani exonerated the state government from the incident.

In a statement, the governor’s aide warned Senator Sani to “stop his political tantrums and grow up, or at least try to match the dignity, refinement and decorum expected of a Senator.”

The aide said Sani had reached “the career limit that chicanery and thuggery can facilitate.”

He advised the Senator to desist from blaming his woes on the state government.

According to Sani, “it has become imperative to set the record straight. Everyone knows that it is Shehu Sani that has spent 18 months attacking the governor personally and opposing every government policy.

‘The government has ignored his tantrums, while the party has acted to uphold discipline. Sani should keep the government out of his woes.”

“We are beneficiaries of democracy and we champion an open society.  We respect democratic values  and will never resort to unconstitutional means of settling differences. He should be careful not to make wild and unsubstantiated claims.” Sani maintained.

Earlier ,the Senator’s adviser on Political affairs, Suleiman Ahmed had alleged  that a top government official was behind the attack,saying,’the boys who carried out the mayhem, were  his boys .