Violence mars APC congress in Kaduna

Members of the All Progressives Congress (APC) clashed yesterday during the ward congresses of the party in Kaduna State leading to the cancellation of the exercise in several places.

One person was feared dead in Afaka, Igabi local government area while a teenage boy lost his hand in Malali, Kaduna north local government.

A member of the congress monitoring committee said violent gangs were sponsored by senior party members in some areas to ruin the exercise “so that they can fabricate fake results for selfish purposes.”

He said youth groups carrying knives stabbed many people in different places in the states. The polling units hit by violence were in Zaria, Makarfi, Chukun, Igabi, Kaduna North and Kakuna South local government areas, he said.

At Malali primary school, venue for the exercise, an eye witness, AbduRahman Mohammed said “gangs stormed the area at about 11am during the exercise and stabbed so many people. Victims were taken to medical centers in an ambulance.”

He said soldiers were deployed to the area and normalcy returned. “The exercise stopped immediately and soldiers took over the venue. They asked people in the area to return to their respective houses.”

He said the violence was caused by rival party loyalists in some places while in other places it was masterminded by opposition parties.