Civil society organisations have continued to condemn the alleged assault on a serving councillor in Gombe State by a Senior Special Assistant (SSA) to Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya, describing the incident as an attack on democratic values and freedom of expression.
The incident, which has generated widespread outrage on social media, followed the circulation of a video showing the councillor, Abdulrahman Abubakar Sheriff, being repeatedly slapped and punched by the governor’s aide, Adamu Danko. The assault was reportedly linked to remarks made by the councillor about the governor’s Chief of Staff, Abubakar Kari.
Amnesty International was among the first organisations to react, calling on the Gombe State Government to take decisive action against the official involved and to demonstrate zero tolerance for political violence.
Similarly, the Movement for the Emancipation of Nigeria (MEN), led by former Minister of Youth and Sports Development, Solomon Dalung, strongly condemned the attack, describing it as “a dangerous descent into state-sponsored intolerance, impunity, and repression of dissenting voices.”
In a statement issued on Thursday, Mr Dalung said the assault on Mr Sheriff, a councillor representing Shamaki Ward, was unacceptable in a democratic society and amounted to an abuse of power.
“The Movement for the Emancipation of Nigeria (MEN) strongly condemns the brutal and disgraceful assault perpetrated by a Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Gombe State on a serving councillor,” the statement read.
“This barbaric act represents a dangerous descent into intolerance, impunity and repression of dissenting voices. The use of violence to settle political disagreements is unacceptable and must be unequivocally condemned.”
Mr Dalung further alleged that the assault was carried out at the behest of the governor’s Chief of Staff—an allegation he said, if proven, would deepen the gravity of the incident.
He accused the Inuwa Yahaya administration of fostering an atmosphere of intimidation against perceived critics and political opponents, warning that such actions posed a serious threat to democratic freedoms and public safety in the state.
MEN called for an immediate, independent and transparent investigation into the incident and demanded the arrest and prosecution of the aide involved, in line with the law.
Government Responds
Reacting to the condemnations, the State Government rejected claims of a culture of impunity, insisting that the incident did not reflect the character or policies of the administration.
In a statement, the Director-General of Press Affairs at the Government House, Isma’ila Uba Misilli, said the government was concerned about what he described as “sweeping conclusions and unfounded generalisations” in Amnesty International’s statement.
Mr Misilli said the aide involved acted in his personal capacity and not on the instruction or authority of the governor or the state government.
“The government does not in any way trivialise or excuse acts of violence,” he said. “Appropriate internal mechanisms have already been activated to address the matter in line with the law and established procedures.”
He added that due process would be followed and that anyone found culpable would be held accountable, stressing that this had always been the standard practice of the Inuwa Yahaya administration.
The incident has continued to fuel public debate over political intolerance, abuse of office and the safety of elected officials in the state.
