Amnesty International has strongly condemned the alleged brutal assault on a serving councillor of Shamaki Ward, Abdulrahman Abubakar Sheriff, by a Senior Special Assistant to the Governor of Gombe State, describing the incident as a troubling sign of growing impunity and repression in the state.
This was contained in a press statement signed issued by the rights organisation on Friday.
The human rights organisation said the assault occurred on Monday, December 15, at about 4:00 p.m. along Science 2 Road in the Federal Low-Cost area of Gombe metropolis.
According to Amnesty International, the councillor was attacked after being accused of criticising the Chief of Staff to the Governor.
The statement partly read, “This outrageous incident reflects the wider and increasing impunity by Gombe State government officials against people who express even the slightest political dissent.
“Using violence to settle political scores is unacceptable in any free society.”
Amnesty International noted that a viral video of the incident shows the governor’s aide and driver to the Chief of Staff, identified as Adamu Danko, repeatedly slapping and kicking the councillor while issuing threats of further violence.
“In the disturbing footage, the victim is seen helplessly pleading for the assault to stop,” the organisation stated. “The councillor was subjected to this horrific treatment at the behest of the Chief of Staff to the Governor of Gombe State.”
The rights group warned that repeated attacks and intimidation allegedly carried out by political appointees and agents of the Gombe State Government under Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya have created what it described as “a toxic climate of fear” across the state.
“It is perfectly within the rights of people to criticise any government official, no matter his status,” Amnesty International said. “Governor Inuwa Yahaya must issue a clear directive to his appointees and government officials to stop punishing critics and political opponents.”
Calling for accountability, Amnesty International urged Nigerian authorities to immediately investigate the incident and ensure that those responsible are prosecuted in line with the law.
“The governor’s aide must be brought to justice through a fair trial, without recourse to the death penalty,” the organisation said. “Holding the SSA accountable for this lawless behaviour is critical to ensuring that people in positions of authority do not continue to use unlawful means to intimidate and silence critics.”
The organisation further expressed concern over what it described as a nationwide trend.
“In Nigeria, violent attacks, intimidation and threatening phone calls against critics and political opponents of state governors are escalating to an all-time high,” Amnesty International added. “We are deeply concerned by reports that individuals in positions of authority and their agents are frequently behind these gross human rights violations.”
Meanwhile, the Director-General Press Affairs Gombe Government House Ismaila Misilli, said the government was concerned about what it described as “sweeping conclusions and unfounded generalisations” contained in Amnesty International’s publication.
“While the Government does not in any way trivialise or excuse acts of violence, it is deeply concerned by the manner in which Amnesty International rushed to conclusions that misrepresent both the facts of the incident and the character of the Gombe State Government,” Misilli stated.
According to the government, the individual involved in the incident acted strictly in a personal capacity and not under the authority, instruction, or direction of Governor Muhammadu Inuwa Yahaya or the state government.
“It is important to clearly state that the individual acted in his personal capacity. Any attempt to portray this isolated incident as official government policy or evidence of a so-called ‘culture of impunity’ is inaccurate, unfair, and misleading,” the statement read.