Zamfara Anti-thuggery Standing Committee says it has arrested 32 suspects for alleged violation of the state government’s anti-thuggery order.
Chairman of the Committee, Mr Bello Bakyasuwa, disclosed this while parading the suspects before newsmen in Gusau on Tuesday.
Bakyasuwa said that the suspects were arrested during a rally organised by Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) to welcome its gubernatorial candidate.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that PDP had, on Monday, held a rally to welcome its governorship candidate, Dr Dauda Lawal-Dare after a Court of Appeal judgment which reinstated him as the party’s standard bearer.
Bakyasuwa said that the suspects were arrested by the committee for allegedly violating Executive Order No. ll.
He said that the anti-thuggery order was given by Gov. Bello Matawalle, as part of measures to promote peace and stability in the state.
Bakyasuwa further said that the suspects were arrested for alleged possession of weapons, vandalism and destruction of public property as well as disturbing public peace during the rally.
“One of the suspects was arrested for burning a vehicle belonging to Zamfara government.
“Some of the suspects were caught holding AK-47 riffles as well as locally-fabricated ones.
“We recovered vehicles loaded with the political thugs holding weapons, including guns and cutlasses, among others,” he said.
The committee chairman added that the suspects would be handed over to relevant security agencies for further investigation.
He decried what he called the unlawful activities of a certain vigilante group which, he said, were fueling political violence in the state.
Bakyasuwa called on the youth to desist from any form of political thuggery and drug abuse.
He also warned political parties and politicians to avoid involving innocent youths in thuggery, all in the name of politics.
(NAN)
