Gusau — The All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Zamfara State have traded accusations over the alleged arrest and intimidation of opposition members by security personnel.
The Zamfara State chapter of the APC accused Governor Dauda Lawal of using security operatives attached to the Government House to harass and intimidate opposition figures ahead of the 2027 general elections.
In a statement issued on Thursday, APC spokesman Yusuf Idris alleged that the governor had repeatedly deployed Government House security personnel to target APC members in an attempt to weaken the party in the state.
Idris said no amount of intimidation would stop the APC from reclaiming power from the PDP in Zamfara in 2027.
The APC spokesman expressed outrage over the reported arrest of Bashir Isah Gusau, a party member and social media influencer popularly known as Ambassador, who was allegedly arrested on Wednesday night.
According to Idris, Gusau was picked up by four individuals who identified themselves as Department of State Services (DSS) operatives attached to the Government House.
“He was arrested by four individuals who identified themselves as DSS operatives attached to the Government House and arrived in a vehicle with a covered plate number,” Idris said.
He alleged that Gusau was tracked to a football viewing centre in the Sabon Gari area of Gusau, the state capital, at about 10 pm.
Idris claimed that when residents at the centre attempted to intervene, the operatives fired live shots into the air to disperse the crowd before forcing Gusau into their vehicle and driving away to an unknown location.
He added that checks at police stations across Gusau indicated that Gusau was not in police custody, while all his phone lines had reportedly been switched off.
“We strongly suspect that he is being held at the Government House,” Idris said.
The APC described the incident as a gross abuse of power, accusing the Lawal-led administration of turning security agencies into tools of political intimidation.
The party further alleged that similar incidents had occurred in the past but were stopped after public outcry, warning that it would not tolerate continued harassment of its members.
Idris called on the Inspector-General of Police and the Director-General of the DSS to rein in security personnel attached to the Zamfara Government House.
He also disclosed that the party had mobilised its legal team to challenge any further victimisation and urged APC members in the state to remain calm.
Reacting to the allegations, the PDP in Zamfara dismissed the claims as false, baseless, and politically motivated.
The PDP spokesman, Haliru Andi, denied that Governor Lawal had ever ordered the arrest or harassment of opposition members.
Andi said the governor had governed Zamfara as one united family since assuming office in 2023, irrespective of political affiliation.
“The APC is only trying to smear the image of Governor Dauda Lawal because they have nothing negative to say about his leadership,” Andi said.
He insisted that the governor had no involvement in the alleged arrest of Bashir Isah Gusau and had never directed the arrest of anyone based on political differences.
According to him, Lawal considers himself governor of the entire state and not of the PDP alone, stressing that the administration has focused on development since taking office.
“The people of Zamfara can attest that since 2023, the governor has remained committed to rebuilding and developing a state that had suffered years of neglect,” Andi added.
