The Zamfara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress has accused Governor Dauda Lawal of repeatedly using security personnel attached to the Government House to arrest and intimidate opposition members in the state.

In a statement released on Thursday, the party’s spokesman, Yusuf Idris, alleged that the governor had on several occasions deployed Government House security operatives to persecute APC members as part of efforts to weaken the party ahead of the 2027 elections.

According to Idris, no amount of intimidation or political persecution would prevent the APC from reclaiming power from the Peoples Democratic Party in the state in 2027.

The APC spokesman expressed outrage over the arrest of one of its members, Bashir Gusau, a social media influencer popularly known as Ambassador, who was reportedly arrested on Wednesday.

Idris said, “The Zamfara State chapter of the All Progressives Congress is appalled by the illegal arrest of one of its members, Bashir Isah Gusau, by security personnel attached to Governor Dauda Lawal.

“He was picked up by four individuals who identified themselves as DSS operatives attached to the Government House and arrived in a covered plate number vehicle from the Government House.”

According to him, Gusau was tracked to a football viewing centre in the Sabon Gari area of Gusau, the state capital, at about 10 pm.

He alleged that when people at the centre attempted to intervene, the operatives fired live shots into the air to disperse the crowd before forcing the victim into their vehicle and driving off to an unknown destination.

Idris said checks at police stations in Gusau indicated that Gusau was not in police custody, adding that all his phone lines had been switched off.

“We strongly suspect that he is being held at the Government House,” he said.

He described the incident as a sad misuse of power by the Lawal-led administration, accusing the government of turning its security details into political tools.

Idris added that similar incidents had occurred in the past but were halted after the party raised the alarm, warning that the APC would not fold its arms and watch its members be unjustly harassed.

He called on the Inspector-General of Police and the Director-General of the Department of State Services to call Government House security personnel to order.

Idris said the party had mobilised its lawyers to take legal action against any further victimisation of its members and urged APC members in the state to remain calm.

Reacting, the spokesman for the Zamfara State chapter of the PDP, Haliru Andi, dismissed the allegations as false and baseless.

Andi said the Lawal administration had never victimised opposition members, insisting that the governor had governed the state as one united family since assuming office in 2023, regardless of political affiliation.

He described the alleged arrest of Bashir Isah Gusau on the governor’s orders as untrue and unfounded.

Andi said, “The APC is only trying to smear the good image of Governor Dauda Lawal because they have nothing negative to say about his leadership qualities.

“The governor has no hand in the alleged arrest of Bashir Isah Gusau and has never ordered the arrest of anyone on account of political differences.”

He added that Lawal considered himself governor of the entire state and not of the PDP alone, stressing that his administration had focused on development since taking office.

“The people of Zamfara State can attest to the fact that since the governor assumed office in 2023, he has been committed to developing a state that had for years been neglected,” Andi said. (The PUNCH)

Update news