Amnesty International has condemned the attack on the campaign convoy of the Peoples Democratic Party, PDP, governorship candidate in Gombe State, Prof. Isa Ali Pantami, allegedly by suspected political thugs.
The organisation described the incident as an act of wanton political violence, which it said appeared to be an attempt to prevent Mr Pantami from entering Gombe town ahead of the 2027 governorship election.
The attack reportedly occurred on Wednesday, November 11, along Jekadafari Road in Gombe, where suspected thugs allegedly blocked the road, set tyres ablaze and attacked vehicles in the PDP campaign convoy.
In a statement on Thursday, Amnesty International said its findings indicated that the attackers were suspected to be working for the ruling All Progressives Congress, APC.
The organisation, however, called on security agencies to investigate the incident and ensure that everyone suspected of involvement was brought to justice.
According to Amnesty International, viral videos of the incident showed large groups of suspected political thugs armed with weapons, blocking the road with tyres before setting them on fire.
It said the attackers also smashed the windscreens of several vehicles, bringing vehicular movement along the road to a standstill.
The rights organisation described the incident as one of the most serious acts of political violence recorded since the commencement of campaigns ahead of the 2027 general elections.
It warned that repeated attacks on opposition politicians and their supporters could undermine democratic participation and make it difficult, if not impossible, for opposition parties to conduct peaceful political activities.
Amnesty International expressed concern that there had so far been no evidence of arrests in connection with the incident, urging security agencies to act promptly and ensure that those responsible were prosecuted following fair trials.
It stressed that the failure to investigate and prosecute perpetrators of political violence could encourage further attacks and create an atmosphere of fear ahead of the elections.
The organisation also called on all political parties to issue clear instructions to their supporters against violence, intimidation and other forms of conduct capable of undermining peaceful political activities.
“Violence has no place in democracy,” Amnesty International said, urging political actors to respect the rights of others to participate freely in the electoral process.
The incident comes amid growing political activities ahead of the 2027 general elections, with concerns over the safety of opposition candidates, their supporters and campaign activities.
