Kano rerun: Thugs attack reporters, chase voters in Gama wards

A reporter of The Authority Newspapers in Kano, Jerry Maduabuchi, narrowly escaped mob attack at Gama ward, one of the ward where the rerun is holding.

Mr. Ted Odogwu, reporter of The Punch also sustained brushes while attempting to escape mob attack by suspected thugs armed with clubs and sticks who descended on voters at Suntulma primary school, in the controversial Gama ward.

The thugs freely chased residents away from the polling units while the security operatives fully armed turn blind eyes.

Trouble ensued when the Authority reporter attempted to snap a picture of voters who were on queue to cast their ballots.

Suspicious of the mission of the reporter, the visibly angry youths all wearing APC agent’s tags descended on him, tore his clothes and disposed him of his valuables.

The youths who insisted the journalist who was on his lawful duty to cover the rerun poll delete the pictures. He was subsequently rescued through a combined effort of colleagues and bystanders.

Meanwhile, residents of Gama ward are lamenting the inability to exercise their franchise.

A resident Abubakar Audu told The Guardian that thugs loyal to a political party prevented people from voting.

But the scenario differed at Gidan Maigari voting center also in Gama ward as voters were seen exercising their franchise peaceful.

The supplementary gubernatorial poll is holding in 207 polling units across 75 wards in 28 local government areas of the state.

Gama ward alone has 83 voting units with 40,821 registered voters out of the 128,324.