By Charly Agwam – Bauchi
The All Progressives Congress (APC) Supporters Group in Bauchi state has urged the Police and the State Government to thoroughly investigate and probe the sponsors of thugs who allegedly hijacked Tuesday’s protest staged by students of the Abubakar Tatari Ali Polytechnic (ATAP)
ATAP students had taken to the streets to protest the industrial action embarked on by the Joint Action Committee of the state-owned higher institutions over unpaid allowances.
Some students had taken over the Bauchi-Jos expressway, causing gridlock on the ever-busy road and making motorists stranded.
In a statement issued on Thursday by the leader of the 41 APC Supporters Group, Hon. Sallau Kaficondemned the action, saying that the violence in the protest was uncalled for.
“The members of our group had a meeting unanimously to agree to issue this press statement to call on security agencies to investigate and probe the matter and dig into the root of the matter.
“The violence that resulted from the protest by students of Abubakar Tatari Polytechnic (ATAP) Bauchi which occurred Tuesday morning was unnecessary and should be probed,” he said.
According to Kafi, the miscreants and hoodlums protesters resorted to burning of tyres, smashing of peoples’ vehicles, damaging properties, extortion of mobile phones and looting some shops situated opposite the school before the arrival of police anti-riot squad to the scene.
“We urge security agencies to investigate and probe the circumstances surrounding the protest and we urge law-abiding citizens in the state to stay away from all forms of criminality and stop politicising the matter, especially our party members the APC who are taking the advantage of the protest to attack the government in the media.
“As a true APC leaders and founding members of the party that has Bauchi State at heart, we disassociate ourselves from those bad politicians, and we will do anything possible within our capacity as lovers of the state to assist the government and security agencies to fish out the perpetrators,” he added.