A group of individuals, characterized by the Kano State Police Command as “unidentified intruders,” has assaulted the secretariat of Gwale Local Government Area in the state. The attack occurred following the reinstatement of the embattled chairman of the LGA, Khalid Ishaq, on Wednesday,leadership reports.
The incident occurred after part of the secretariat building was engulfed in a fire earlier on Wednesday morning.
Khalid Ishaq, who was elected chairman during the previous administration of the All Progressives Congress (APC), had been suspended for three months by the Kano State House of Assembly (KNHA). His suspension was a result of a petition from councillors of the local government accusing him of participating in illegal land sales.
Upon the expiration of the three-month suspension, Ishaq sought legal intervention, and the court ruled in his favor, ordering his reinstatement.
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Ishaq, addressing reporters in Kano on Wednesday, revealed that after his reinstatement, he requested police protection when resuming office at the secretariat. However, he explained that a group of people entered the premises, attempting to cause chaos.
Reportedly, 17 offices and several vehicles, valued at millions of Naira, were set ablaze. The Police have committed to identifying and apprehending the perpetrators.
Meanwhile, armed security personnel have taken control of the Gwale Local Government Secretariat, leading to a temporary halt in activities.
The Kano State Police Command, confirming the incident in a statement by its spokesman, SP Haruna Abdullahi Kiyawa, urged calm as investigations were underway. The statement clarified that the suspension period had ended, and a court order reinforced the chairman’s resumption of duties. The Police assured adequate security for the chairman and the secretariat, emphasizing ongoing investigations into the causes of the incidents. Despite a brief disturbance caused by unidentified intruders, the situation was reportedly under control.
