The African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate in Sokoto State, Hon. Manir Muhammad Dan’iya, has called for an immediate probe into an alleged assault on him and members of his convoy by operatives of the Sokoto Marshal and the Sokoto State Community Guard.
The alleged incident took place around the Sokoto Airport area at approximately 9 p.m. on Friday, October 30, 2026, shortly after Dan’iya accompanied Senator Aminu Waziri Tambuwal to the airport for his trip back to Abuja following political activities in the state.
In a statement issued by his Media Aide, Aminu Abdullahi, the ADC candidate claimed that operatives of the two security agencies blocked his convoy and stopped it from moving, alleging that they acted on instructions from their superiors to prevent ADC members from gaining entry into Sokoto State.
Dan’iya further claimed that attempts by his security personnel to settle the disagreement proved unsuccessful, resulting in gunshots being fired, his vehicle being damaged and two Department of State Services (DSS) operatives assigned to his security team being taken into custody.
He stated that although he managed to escape, he regarded the alleged conduct as a grave danger to his personal security and a troubling development for democratic participation in the state.
The ADC candidate also revealed that he and his team had noticed an earlier deployment of Sokoto Marshal and Community Guard personnel at the state’s entry points on Friday, where vehicles displaying ADC inscriptions were allegedly prevented from entering.
According to him, the convoy initially viewed the security deployment as a normal operational exercise but subsequently suspected that it might be an effort to curtail the party’s activities and threaten its leadership.
Dan’iya disclosed that he had visited the Sokoto State Commissioner of Police in person to formally report the incident and request intervention.
He appealed to the Commissioner of Police, the Inspector-General of Police, the Director-General of the DSS and other relevant authorities to investigate the allegations, determine who issued the purported directives and establish the identities of those responsible for any unlawful actions.
He equally requested the immediate release of the two DSS personnel if they were still being detained, alongside the protection and investigation of available video recordings, operational documents, eyewitness testimonies and other relevant evidence.
The ADC governorship candidate also appealed to the Federal Government, National Assembly, human rights organisations and the international community to monitor developments in Sokoto and assist in safeguarding democratic rights and freedoms.
He further urged the Sokoto State Government to explain the alleged directives attributed to the security operatives and ensure that state-owned security organisations function within the law and maintain political neutrality.
Dan’iya insisted that neither he nor the ADC would discontinue their legitimate political engagements because of alleged intimidation or violence, while appealing to supporters of the party to remain peaceful and refrain from retaliatory actions.
Meanwhile, the Sokoto State Police Command has acknowledged receiving a complaint relating to the alleged incident.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Ahmad Rufai, confirmed that the police had received a report concerning the incident around the Sokoto International Airport area and assured that necessary measures would be taken.
He further stated that anyone established to have participated in the incident would face appropriate legal consequences.
