CONTROVERSY has continued to trail the disappearance of an All Progressives Congress (APC) social media influencer and Tinubu/Shettima campaign youth leader in Zamfara State, Bashir Isah Gusau, with sharply conflicting accounts emerging over whether he was abducted by gunmen or allegedly picked up by security operatives linked to the state government.
Gusau, a prominent youth mobiliser and online influencer for the ruling APC in Zamfara, was reported missing on Wednesday night under circumstances that have since sparked political tension and public concern across the state.
In a statement issued to News Point Nigeria, the Zamfara State chapter of the APC alleged that Gusau was illegally arrested by security personnel attached to the Government House in Gusau, the state capital.
According to the party’s Publicity Secretary, Yusuf Idris Gusau, the incident occurred at about 10:00pm during a Champions League match at a football viewing centre in the Sabon Gari area of Gusau.
The APC claimed that four men, who identified themselves as security operatives attached to the Government House, arrived in a vehicle with a concealed number plate and forcefully took Gusau away.
The party further alleged that when other viewers attempted to intervene, the men fired gunshots into the air to disperse the crowd before whisking Gusau away to an unknown destination.
“Since then, all efforts to locate him at police stations and other security formations in the state capital have proved abortive. His phone lines have also remained switched off,” the APC stated.
Describing the incident as a dangerous abuse of state power, the party accused the administration of Governor Dauda Lawal of using security agencies to intimidate political opponents.
The APC said it has alerted its legal team and formally petitioned the Inspector-General of Police and the Director-General of the Department of State Services (DSS), demanding an urgent investigation.
The party also appealed to its members to remain calm, assuring them that steps were being taken to secure Gusau’s release.
However, a different version of events emerged on Thursday, suggesting that Gusau may have been abducted by armed gunmen suspected to be bandits.
A security analyst, Bakatsine, disclosed in a social media post that Gusau was kidnapped from his residence in Gusau town by more than 20 armed men, in the presence of his wife.
According to the analyst, the assailants stormed Gusau’s home late at night and whisked him away, throwing his family into distress.
“Gunmen suspected to be bandits abducted Ambassador Bashir Isa Gusau, North-West Youth Leader of Tinubu/Shettima, Zamfara Chapter. Over 20 armed men stormed his home in Gusau and abducted him in the presence of his wife,” the post read.
Bakatsine added that security agencies were immediately alerted, but efforts to trace the victim had, so far, yielded no result.
Lamenting the persistent insecurity in the state, the analyst questioned how long residents of Zamfara would continue to live under the threat of banditry despite repeated alerts to security authorities.
Reacting to the APC’s allegations, the Zamfara State Government dismissed claims that Gusau was arrested by operatives attached to the Government House.
The Governor’s spokesperson, Sulaiman Bala Idris, described the accusation as false and unfounded, insisting that Governor Dauda Lawal has never been associated with harassment or intimidation of political opponents.
He said the government had no knowledge of any such arrest and challenged the APC to provide evidence linking the alleged incident to the Government House.
Similarly, the Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on Broadcast Media, Mustapha Jafaru Kaura, dismissed the allegation, describing Governor Lawal as a peace-loving leader and branding the claims as politically motivated.
The Zamfara State Police Command also said it was not aware of any reported abduction or arrest involving Gusau as of the time of filing this report.
The command’s spokesperson, DSP Yazid Abubakar, said there was no official report of a bandit attack or abduction linked to the incident in Gusau metropolis.
He assured that the police would make further enquiries into the matter and provide updates as investigations progress.
As of press time, Gusau’s whereabouts remained unknown, with security agencies yet to issue a definitive statement clarifying the circumstances surrounding his disappearance.