No fewer than three persons have been injured in a violent clash between loyalists of Gombe State governor, Yahaya Inuwa and Senator Danjuma Goje on Friday in Gombe State.

Goje who chairs the Senate Committee on Marine Transport, was elected the Senator representing Gombe Central Constituency in the 9th National Assembly on the platform of Peoples Democratic party, PDP while Governor Inuwa, was got his four-year mandate All Progressives Congress, APC in the 2019 general elections.

According to multiple reports, the tragedy occurred when two rival political supporters, attempted to block the convoy of Goje, the Senator representing Gombe Central Senatorial district on Friday.

The media aide to Goje, Lilian Nworie in a statement on Saturday, said he arrived at Gombe from Abuja through Gombe Airport in Lawanti, peacefully when the governor’s aides allegedly blocked his convoy.

She said the governor’s driver, Aminu Hula, and Gombe State APC Youth Leader, Kawu Lero have been arrested by the State Police Command, which is yet to be confirmed.

Nworie who called for an independent investigation of the matter”, urged supporters of Goje to be calm and law-abiding.

“Distinguished senator’s trip was peaceful until when the governor’s aides including his aide-de-camp blocked the road. For two hours, they unleashed terror on Senator Goje and those in his convoy.

“It is unfortunate that one life was lost and many cars vandalised including the senator’s vehicle. They smashed the windscreen. All efforts to make the governor’s ADC remove the blockade yielded no result as he insisted that he got instructions from the above that the former governor should not be allowed into the town,” the media aide said.

“They have been arrested but the aide-de-camp who led the people to attack the former governor had since returned to those who sent him. The aide-de-camp said he was acting based on an order from the above. In this case, it is his boss, Gombe State governor,” according to the statement.

But Julius Ishaya Lepes, the State
Commissioner for Information and Culture, debunked the claim by Senator Goje.

The Commissioner in a statement on Saturday, accused Goje of sponsoring some thugs that which to loss of two lives last week at Deba in Yamaltu Deba Local Government Area of the State.

He said the attack perpetrated by suspected thugs who accompanied him from the airport during his recent visit to the State.

The Governor, “condemned in strongest term, the breach of peace in the State Capital, caused by the visit of a former Governor of the State”.

He also accused him of mobilizing suspected “armed thugs from various Local Government Areas of the State under the pretext of accompanying him from the airport into the State Capital for reasons best known to him”.

It recalled that “during the last Eid el-Kabir Sallah celebration, the same person sponsored some thugs that threw caution into the wind and went on rampage, leading to loss of two lives. Also just last week at Deba in Yamaltu Deba LGA the same scenario played out at the instance of the Senator”.

“Gombe state has been witnessing relative peace and harmony due largely to the determination and avowed commitment of Governor Inuwa Yahaya in that direction and therefore the government would not stand by and watch desperate politicians unleash terror and violence on innocent citizens to the extent of getting people killed.

“While sympathising with families of the victims, Government commends the security agencies for their timely intervention in bringing the ugly situation under control.

“…Inuwa Yahaya as the Chief Security officer of the State, will not renege on his responsibilities and therefore will do everything necessary to protect the lives and property of the citizenry.

“Government will make sure that perpetrators of the unfortunate act, no matter how highly placed are brought to book”, according to the statement.

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