Tension And Trepidation As Irate Mob Attacked Governor Al-Makura In Keffi

Rabiu Omaku

• Police Arrests 8 In Connection With The Attack

The Nasarawa state police command has nabbed no fewer than 8 persons suspected to be political mobs over an attack  meted  on the state Governor, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura during the funeral rite of late emir of Keffi, Alh Muhammadu Chindo Yamusa II.

The Police Public Relation Officer, Assistant Superintendent of Police, Numan in an interview confided that those nabbed are suspected political thugs; He said their arrest is in connection with the assault carried out on Governor Al-Makura at Keffi, the spokesperson of the police said some numbers of vehicles were destroyed.

It took the intervention of joint security agents to quell the mayhem which lasted for over thirty minutes as the security operatives shot sporadically into the air to disperse the mob in spite of the presence of highly placed personality from all walks of life.

It would be recalled that Nasarawa state Governor, Umaru Tanko Al-Makura was again attacked, as he was stoned  in Keffi by  people suspected to be supporters of the All Progressives Congress (APC) as well as Local Government workers protesting the backlog of their salaries ,workers in Nasarawa state are in limbo despite the N8.1bn bailout collected by the Chief Executive.

The Keffi attacked is the worst followed by the one that took place in Awe before now as twelve persons were nabbed alongside the Executive Chairman of the council, Aliyu Turaki ,The state Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura while reacting on the attack vow to deal decisively with troublemakers fomenting trouble in the state.

Al-Makura raised eyebrow and vow to deal with miscreants and their godfathers causing wanton disturbances in the state, He stated this during the three days prayer of the late paramount ruler held at Keffi, the headquarter of Keffi.

Onlookers and Political analysts in the state,  especially from the ruling party in the state blamed the state Governor for his predicament, And the nagging question that is in their lips which is begging for answer is this, what happened to the N8.1bn bailout collected by the state Governor to settled backlog of salaries as well settled outstanding pension of retirees, a bailout fund which the state Accountant General has affirmed its existence.

“Did the Governor really expend the money judiciously? If yes, then what happened to the monthly allocations to state/Local Government in the previous months? Is the allocation not coming to the state?  In 2011 Governor Umaru Tanko Al-Makura came to power through a popular vote that ousted his predecessor .

The question begging for answer is this, is the Governor losing his popularity in the eyes of his teaming supporters? to the  state Governor he believes no doubt he has performed better in his four years in office by embarking on massive township road network in Lafia, The state capital which was also extended to other Local Governments headquarters. If the Governor is losing his steam, only time shall tell.