By Ahmad Umar, Gombe
Nigeria Police and Military have rescued Senator Joshua Lidani (PDP – Southern Gombe) who was Monday held hostage by angry Youths of his constituency in Talasse town, headquarters of Balanga Local Government Area of Gombe state, northeast of the country.
Senator Lidani was in Talasse to inspect classroom projects and pay homage to the paramount ruler of Waja people (Bala Waja), Mr. Danjuma Mohammed, when hundreds of youths stormed the palace and held him hostage for about five hours.
An eyewitness who crave for anonymity told AFRICA PRIME NEWS that, Senator Lidani visited the town to supervise a building project he awarded at the Community College of Arabic and Islamic Studies, Talasse when the angry youths attack him.
“The youth stormed the palace when they learnt that Senator Lidani was in town. They want explanation on what he was doing for them for the past seven years he was at the senate.
“They pelted stones on his motorcade and later laid siege at the Bala Waja’s palace waiting for him to come out and explain to them” he said.
According to the witnesses, since Lidani’s election in 2015, he never visited the town or attracted any constituency project to them, with the exception of three blocks of classrooms that he built at the college.
Another resident of the town told our correspondent on phone that, it took a combined effort of soldiers and mobile policemen to be able to evacuate the senator from the palace to safety.
“A combine team of mobile policemen and soldiers who stormed the palace in seven trucks were able to escort him safely from the Bala Waja’s palace and he escaped unhurt,” he said.
In a phone interview with journalists, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Tairu Shina Olukolu, confirmed the incident.
He said: “Senator Joshua Lidani was at the Bala Waja’s palace to felicitate with the royal father when some youth who alleged that they are unsatisfied with his representation, barricaded the palace and denied him exit demanding explanation from him on his representation at the senate.
“To avoid break down of law and order, security operatives were dispatch to the palace and they have successfully escort him out of the town unhurt,” he said.
CP Olukolu said after the incident normalcy have since return to the town with people going about their activities.
A resident of Talasse told our Reporter that one person has sustained injuries from stray bullets fired by security agent who when to rescued the Senator and the injured youth has take to the hospital in Gombe.
https://www.africaprimenews.com/2018/03/26/charity/nigeria-gov-dankwambo-pledges-to-settle-medical-bills-of-12-year-old-amputee/
