Niger local gov bosses in violent duel at zonal meeting in Kaduna
By JOHN ADAMS, MINNA
Two Local Government Chairmen in Niger State turned the venue of their zonal meeting in Kaduna into a boxing arena on Sunday as they engaged each other in a fierce fight to the disbelief of their colleagues.
The fighting was between the Chairmen of two neighbouring Local Government councils in the State, Gurara and Suleja.
The duel between the two council bosses led to Alhaji Abdullahi Maji, the Suleja Council Chairman, being beaten by his counterpart from Gurara Mr Yussuf Wali Gwamna, said to be a judoka.
According to a source close to the venue of the meeting in Kaduna, the Suleja Chairman, who sustained bruises all over his face, was rescued from his counterpart by other colleagues and was immediately rushed to a nearby private hospital for treatment.
According to an eyewitness, who narrated how the incident occurred to an official of the government in Minna on Tuesday, trouble started when the zonal meeting decided to send a delegation to Zaria to condole with the Emirate over the death of the Emir of Zauzau, Alhaji Alhaji Shehu Idris.
It was learnt that the meeting sought for two delegates from Niger, one of whom should be the Association of Local Government of Nigeria (ALGON) Chairman in the State.
It was said that the Suleja Council Chairman introduced himself as the Chairman of ALGON, a position that was immediately countered by his Gurara counterpart.
According to our source, shortly after the meeting despatched the delegation to Zaria, the Suleja Chairman was said to have accosted his Gurara colleague, asking him why he should embarrassed him in the public.
It was at this point that the duo began to exchange insults leading to the exchange of blows with the Gurara man having the upper hand.
The report said before the intervention of other chairmen, tables and chairs were turned over while plates and cups were broken.
‘The embarrassment is too much, how can they disgrace our State like that in another State,’ the source told our correspondent in the presence of a high ranking government official in Minna.
The Suleja Council Chairman sustained a swollen and bruised face as a result of the fight.
When contacted, Alhaji Nma Kolo the Special Adviser Political Matters to Governor Abubakar Sani Bello, confirmed the story, saying the Government will not allow the Chairman to go free for the embarrassment to the State.
The issue of the ALGON Chairmanship has been very contentious since the current leadership of Local Governments emerged over a year ago. The Chairman of Chanchaga Local Government Council, Alhaji Abubakar Lalalo, was said to have been elected as the ALGON Chairman. (Text, excluding headline, courtesy Daily Sun)
