Eight members of a local music group in Kebbi State have been physically assaulted on the orders of an aide to the state governor, Atiku Bagudu.
Governor Bagudu’s Personal Assistant, Faruku Musa Yaro widely known as Enabo, is alleged to have ordered and supervised the assault of the musicians at his residence.
The victims are Kabiru Arzila (KB show), Ayuba Ibrahim, Musa Alle, Bello Aljannare, Shamsu Attahiru Otono and three others.
The musicians were said to have incurred the wrath of the governor’s aide after using satirical songs to criticise the administration of Bagudu.
Recounting the experience, Arzila said four of them were picked up at Abacha Hotel around 3:30am on Monday by persons numbering 10.
He said, “It is true that we have criticised the government; as musicians of Kebbi State origin, we owe our people a duty to criticise bad governance and that’s exactly what we did in one of our songs.
“We couldn’t keep quiet while Governor Bagudu continues to ruin our state through bad governance.
“But we never believed they could resort to violence.
“We were at Abacha Hotel when some hoodlums came and broke the door and took us to the residence of Faruku Musa.
“In his living room, he ordered some hefty men to beat us until we disclosed who sponsored us to criticise the governor with our songs.
“In fact, he pulled out an AK47 rifle threatening to kill Bello Aljanare.
“Thereafter, he warned us never to malign either the governor or any official of the Kebbi State Government before we were released.”
Director-General of Kebbi Concern Citizens, a civil society organisation, Ibrahim Mohammed, confirmed visiting the victims in hospital.
Yaro however, declined to respond to the allegation when contacted by SaharaReporters.
