The convoy of former Kano State Governor and former presidential candidate, Senator Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso, was reportedly attacked by suspected political thugs in Bichi Local Government Area of Kano State on Sunday, leaving several vehicles damaged and some members of his entourage injured.

The incident reportedly occurred as Kwankwaso and his supporters were leaving the area after touring several local government areas as part of their political engagements across the state.

The spokesperson for the Kano State governorship candidate of the Nigeria Democratic Congress, Comrade Aminu Abdussalam Gwarzo, Ibrahim Garba Shuaibu, confirmed the attack in an interview with Arewa Update.

A media aide to Kwankwaso, Saifullahi Hassan, also drew attention to the incident in a Facebook post.

Shuaibu disclosed that the delegation had visited Tofa, Rimin Gado, Kabo, Gwarzo and Shanono local government areas before arriving in Bichi, where they held a political meeting despite an earlier disturbance.

He alleged that the attackers struck as the delegation was preparing to leave, emerging from a location to assault vehicles conveying members of the entourage.

According to him, between six and seven vehicles had their windscreens smashed, while some members of the convoy sustained injuries.

“Senator Kwankwaso told us to enter the town without fear or retreat. When we arrived, there was a sign of disturbance and stone-throwing, but we held our meeting peacefully,” Shuaibu said.

He added: “It was on our way out that some people emerged from a location and started attacking our vehicles, smashing windscreens.”

Despite the incident, Shuaibu insisted that the group would not abandon its political activities, saying the attack would not weaken their resolve.

He described the incident as an indication of fear among their political opponents and reaffirmed the group’s commitment to its political objectives.

As of the time of filing this report, the Kano State Police Command had yet to issue an official statement on the alleged attack.

The state chapter of the All Progressives Congress (APC) had also not reacted to the incident.

Bandits have killed a Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to Zamfara State Governor, Dauda Lawal, in Kaura Namoda town, Zamfara State.

The governor’s aide, Hon. Nasiru Sani Kaura, was reportedly shot dead when the bandits attacked the Low cost area of Kaura Namoda in the early hours of Sunday.

Residents said the attackers stormed the neighbourhood while Muslims were observing the early morning Subh (Fajr) prayer, shooting sporadically and forcing people to flee for safety.

Nasiru, a grassroots politician and community leader, was reportedly killed during the attack.

His death has triggered grief in Kaura Namoda and other parts of the state, with sympathisers describing his killing as a great loss to the community.

His funeral prayer was subsequently observed in accordance with Islamic rites.

The killing has also renewed concerns over the security situation in Kaura Namoda and other parts of Zamfara North, where communities have continued to experience bandit attacks, killings and abductions.

Residents have called on the state government and security agencies to intensify efforts to protect lives and property, particularly in residential communities.

In a separate development, the Zamfara State Police Command said it had rescued 19 kidnapped victims, comprising women and children, after 22 days in bandits’ captivity.

The victims were abducted from Tungar Haki Village, through Wanke, in Gusau Local Government Area, and taken to a bandits’ hideout around Kungurmi Village.

The police said the victims were rescued on Saturday, November 14, at about 10am during a coordinated operation involving operatives of the Anti-Kidnapping Unit, police personnel attached to Government House, operatives of the Department of State Services (DSS) and local hunters.

The operation followed credible intelligence on the whereabouts of the victims.

A statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Yazid Abubakar, said all 19 victims were found unharmed and had since been reunited with their families.

The Commissioner of Police, Ahmad Muhammad Bello, commended the joint security team for their courage, professionalism and collaboration, which led to the successful rescue.

He reaffirmed the command’s commitment to combating kidnapping and other criminal activities, while urging residents to provide security agencies with timely and credible information.

The two incidents came amid persistent security challenges in Zamfara, particularly in communities in the northern part of the state, where banditry has continued to threaten residents and disrupt normal activities.

No fewer than 10 persons have been killed or declared missing, while more than 2,000 others have been displaced following a violent communal clash between Umuoba Anam and Aguleri communities in Anambra East Local Government Area of Anambra State.

The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) also disclosed that more than 150 houses were destroyed during the conflict, which reportedly affected shops, factories, vehicles and other valuable property belonging to residents, including non-indigenes.

The Head of Operations of NEMA’s Enugu Zonal Office, Mrs Priscilla Madukwe, disclosed these figures on Saturday when she led an assessment team to the affected communities to evaluate the extent of destruction and the humanitarian impact of the violence.

Houses razed during the clash

The team, comprising officials of NEMA and the Anambra State Emergency Management Agency (SEMA), was led to the devastated areas by the Chairman of Anambra East Local Government Area, Mr Ifeanyi Chinweze, alongside community leaders and security operatives.

The communal crisis, which erupted in October, reportedly left several parts of the communities in ruins. A traditional ruler’s palace was also razed during the violence, while hundreds of residents were forced to flee their homes for safety.

The scale of destruction prompted the Federal Government, through NEMA, to dispatch an assessment team to determine the extent of the damage and identify the humanitarian needs of the affected residents.

Speaking during the visit, Madukwe described the level of destruction as unfortunate, assuring the victims that the agency would submit its findings to the Federal Government for possible intervention.

A house set ablaze during the attack

She said the assessment was aimed at determining the appropriate assistance required to enable displaced residents to recover from the tragedy and return to their homes.

Madukwe also called on traditional rulers, community leaders and other stakeholders to intensify efforts towards resolving the dispute, restoring lasting peace and preventing a recurrence of the violence.

She stressed that the return of peace, law and order to the affected communities remained a priority.

In his remarks, the Chairman of Anambra East Local Government Area, Chinweze, said the council was working with relevant stakeholders to address the differences that triggered the crisis.

He appealed to the warring communities to embrace dialogue, reconciliation and peaceful coexistence, noting that the curfew imposed in the area had contributed to restoring calm.

Chinweze described the conflict as a major setback to socioeconomic development, warning that insecurity, killings and destruction of property could undermine economic activities and development in the affected communities.

He also commended the Federal Government for sending the assessment team and expressed hope that the victims would receive relief assistance to cushion the effects of the crisis.

Also speaking, the Head of Administration of SEMA, Mrs Ndidi Omega, disclosed that the Anambra State Government had established a committee to investigate the circumstances surrounding the conflict.

According to her, the committee would recommend measures to prevent a recurrence and identify possible forms of assistance for those affected.

Meanwhile, more than a month after the outbreak of violence, the affected communities are reportedly yet to return fully to normalcy, with many residents still displaced and security operatives maintaining a presence in the area to prevent further hostilities.

The latest assessment has renewed calls for urgent humanitarian intervention and a lasting resolution of the dispute to enable displaced families to return to their homes and rebuild their livelihoods.