The African Democratic Congress (ADC) in Kebbi State has accused unnamed influential individuals of plotting to use security agencies to arrest opposition members, including its spokesperson, and has called for investigations into an alleged raid on a party member’s residence.
In a statement issued on Tuesday in Birnin Kebbi, the party’s Deputy Publicity Secretary, Abubakar Musa, urged the state government, police and human rights organisations to investigate the allegations and protect members from political intimidation.
The party alleged that Mudasir Sani’s residence was recently raided over his social media activities promoting the ADC’s policies and political messages. It called on the authorities to explain the circumstances surrounding the incident.
The ADC also said its Maiyama Local Government Chairman had recently been arrested and spent almost two weeks in prison before being released. It added that about eight members of its media team were facing court proceedings.
The party further accused the police of failing to provide a comprehensive update on a formal complaint it lodged against a senior government official more than a month ago.
It urged the Kebbi State Police Command to disclose the status of the complaint and ensure that investigations were conducted without political interference.
The ADC called on the National Human Rights Commission to investigate the alleged violations and urged judicial authorities to uphold due process and equal protection under the law.
It maintained that opposition membership and lawful political expression were not criminal offences, warning that the use of state institutions to suppress dissent could undermine democratic freedoms.
The party also urged its members to remain peaceful and report any cases of harassment to the appropriate authorities rather than resorting to self-help.
Efforts to obtain the state government’s response were unsuccessful, as the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Ahmed Idris, could not be reached as of the time of filing the report.
However, the state police spokesperson, SP Bashir Usman, said the command remained politically neutral and was committed to providing security for all political parties.
“We are not for any political party, and we have assured all political parties in the state of maximum security cover during their programmes. All they need to do is inform us ahead,” Usman told our correspondent by telephone on Tuesday.
