Zamfara State has been plagued by recurring violent attacks, kidnappings, and killings, often attributed to armed bandits, leaving residents in a state of fear and insecurity.
Controversy has deepened in Zamfara State following the reported disappearance of an All Progressives Congress (APC) social media influencer, Bashir Isah Gusau, with the opposition party accusing the state government of complicity—an allegation the government has strongly denied.
Gusau was reportedly taken away on Wednesday night from a football viewing centre in the Sabon Gari area of Gusau, the Zamfara State capital, sparking outrage among APC supporters and raising questions about the circumstances surrounding his disappearance.
In a statement issued by its Publicity Secretary, Yusuf Idris Gusau, the Zamfara State chapter of the APC alleged that the influencer was unlawfully arrested by security personnel said to be attached to the Government House.
According to the party, Gusau was picked up at about 10 p.m. by four men who identified themselves as security operatives. The APC claimed the operatives arrived in a vehicle with a concealed number plate.
The party further alleged that when other viewers at the centre attempted to resist the arrest, the operatives fired shots into the air to scare the crowd before forcibly taking Gusau away to an unknown destination.
APC said subsequent efforts to trace the influencer to police stations within the state capital yielded no results, adding that his mobile phone lines have remained switched off since the incident.
Describing the episode as an abuse of state power, the party accused the administration of Governor Dauda Lawal of using security agencies to intimidate perceived political opponents.
The APC disclosed that it had briefed its legal team on the matter and called on the Inspector General of Police and the Director General of the Department of State Services (DSS) to urgently investigate the alleged abduction.
The party also appealed to its members to remain calm, assuring them that party leaders were actively engaging relevant authorities to resolve the situation.
However, the Zamfara State Government has rejected the allegation. Reacting to the claim, the governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, described the accusation as false and unfounded, insisting that Governor Lawal has never been associated with the harassment or intimidation of any individual.
He said the government had no knowledge of the alleged arrest and stressed that no evidence had been presented to suggest that Gusau was taken to the Government House.
Also speaking, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Broadcast Media, Mustapha Jafaru Kaura, dismissed the allegation, describing Governor Lawal as a man of peace and insisting that the claim was untrue.
Meanwhile, the spokesperson of the Zamfara State Police Command, DSP Yazid Abubakar, said the command was not aware of any reported abduction in Gusau.
He added that there was also no record of a bandit-related attack connected to the incident, noting that the police had commenced further enquiries and would provide updates as investigations continue.
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