JUST IN: Many injured as hoodlums attack Atiku’s convoy in Borno

Akinwande Soji-Ojo

Hoodlums on Wednesday afternoon attacked the convoy of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate, Alhaji Atiku Abubakar, in Maiduguri, Borno State.

Atiku was in the state for the party’s presidential campaign rally. His convoy was heading to Ramat Square from She hu of Borno’s palace when the incident happened.

Speaking during the party’s rally, the PDP presidential campaign spokesperson, Sen Dino Melaye, said about 74 persons have been hospitalised while several vehicles were also vandalised.

He accused the All Progressives Congress (APC) of trying to stop the rally in the state by deploying thugs to attack PDP members.

Melaye added that the ruling party in the state deployed the thugs,who attacked the convoy with stones, sticks and matchetes in an attempt to frustrate the programme.

He lamented that the thugs were deployed in many strategic locations to attack PDP supporters.

“But we want to assure them that nobody can stop us,” he said.

It was, however, gathered that shortly after Atiku and his team left Maiduguri, a fire service vehicle and water tankers started spraying water on the tarred road leading to Shehu of Borno’s palace while hundreds of APC supporters swept the road as a sign of sweeping the feels of Atiku and members of his entourage out of Borno State.