BREAKING: Police Stop Tinubu/Shettima Grand Rally In Niger State

BREAKING: Police Stop Tinubu/Shettima Grand Rally In Niger State

The candidacy of the presidential standard bearer of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu and his running mate, Senator Kassim Shettima’s grand rally in Niger state was stopped by the police operatives in the state.

The event was also meant to drum support for the governorship candidate of the APC in Niger State, Hon. Umar Bago and his running mate, Comrade Yakubu Garba.

The programme was organised by the Deputy Chief Whip of the Senate and National Coordinator of Project 774 for Tinubu/Shettima 2023, Senator Aliyu Sabi Abdullahi.

The gates of New Bussa Township Stadium in Borgu Local Government Area of Niger, which was already fully rehabilitated and decorated in readiness for the event which was scheduled to start by 11.00am, were locked and barricaded by police operatives.

The Nation observed two pickup trucks manned by heavily armed Mobile Policemen stationed at the gate of the stadium while regular policemen locked the gates and prevented supporters from gaining entrance.

The police, who refused to speak on record, said the order to barricade the New Bussa Stadium which was commissioned on Monday by Senator Abdullahi came from unnamed higher authorities.

Three pickup vans mounted with guns and filled with heavily armed men of the Nigerian Army were seen patrolling around the stadium.

Niger Police spokesman, Wasiu Abiodun, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), said the security cordon was to prevent a “breach of security” following credible intelligence at its disposal.

It was gathered that the order to stop the rally was allegedly given by Governor Sani Abubakar Bello.

The Nation