Kaduna Rerun: Confusion As Political Thugs Kill Graduate Over Ballot Box Snatching

The death of a 40-year-old man, Mansur Shafiu, during Saturday’s bye-election at Rigachikun in Igabi Local Government of Kaduna State by suspected political thugs led to confusion in the area on Sunday.

Naija News learned that an eyewitness claimed suspected political thugs killed the victim in an attempt to prevent ballot box snatching.

The eyewitness said, “In trying to prevent them, one of the thugs brought out a knife and stabbed him.” 

Confirming the incident, the spokesman of the Kaduna State Police Command, ASP Mansir Hassan, said suspected political thugs, who snatched election materials at the Tsohon Garin Rigachikun polling unit, shot the victim in the leg.

He said the victim, who was a graduate of Sociology from Kaduna State University, was rushed to the hospital, where he died.

The incident sparked protest as youths from Rigachikun barricaded the Zaria-Rigachikun highway, which led to gridlock, forcing motorists to be stranded. But normalcy was restored after the military intervened.

Reacting to the incident, the winner of the Igaba Federal Constituency bye-election and candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Hussaini Jallo, in a statement issued to journalists in Kaduna on Sunday, described the death of the 40-year-old Mansur as unfortunate.

He vowed to ensure that the perpetrators of the heinous crime were not allowed to go unpunished while paying a glowing tribute to his supporter, who, he said, was out to exercise his civic responsibility when he met his untimely death.

He said, “Let me pay special tribute to Mansur Shafiu, who was shot dead while trying to exercise his franchise. We will surely not allow this act of barbarism to go unpunished.

“We will engage the Nigerian police force to launch an immediate full-scale investigation with a view to fishing out the perpetrator of this killing and the deliberate attacks meted out to voters during our rerun election that led to the snatching of ballot boxes in Rigachikun, Unguwar Yelwa Birinin Yero, Kwarau, Mando, and Joga by hired thugs to face justice.”

The lawmaker who dedicated his electoral victory during the bye-election to the slain supporter added, “We have overcome numerous obstacles and challenges that stood in our way; we have faced adversity head-on, refusing to be defeated or deterred.”

Mansur was buried in accordance with Islamic rites around 10 am on Sunday in Rigachikun.