The governorship candidate of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kaduna State, Usman Shehu Bawa, has petitioned the National Security Adviser, Nuhu Ribadu, following the alleged removal of his campaign billboards in Jere, Kagarko Local Government Area of the state.
Bawa is seeking an impartial investigation into the incident, including the identities of those who allegedly removed the campaign materials and whether they had the legal authority to do so.
He also wants the authorities to investigate reports that individuals present at the scene were threatened with being shot if they attempted to take photographs or record videos.
The PDP candidate made the requests in a petition dated Thursday, October 22, 2026, addressed to the NSA.
He said the circumstances surrounding the reported incident needed to be examined to establish what happened and determine whether any laws or official procedures were violated.
In the letter, Bawa called for an investigation into the identities, affiliations and authority of the individuals involved in the alleged removal of the billboards.
Parts of the petition read, “There is the need to establish the identities, affiliations, and authority of the individuals involved. Determine whether the individuals were members of the Nigerian Armed Forces or any other security or government agency.”
The candidate also urged the authorities to examine eyewitness accounts of the incident, particularly allegations that people who attempted to document the removal of the billboards were warned against doing so and threatened with violence.
According to the accounts cited in the petition, the individuals allegedly took down the campaign materials and cautioned those present against taking pictures or recording videos.
They were said to have threatened to shoot anyone who attempted to capture the incident on camera.
The allegations have raised questions about the circumstances under which the campaign materials were removed and whether those involved were acting in an official capacity.
However, the petition, as presented, does not establish the identities of the individuals or confirm whether they were members of any security agency.
Bawa maintained that the reported threats and the alleged removal of the billboards required proper scrutiny by the relevant authorities.
He said the investigation should establish whether the individuals acted within the law and whether any offence was committed during the incident.
He stated, “l respectively request that these matters be investigated and that relevant authorities determine whether any person acted without lawful authority, whether any threat was made, and whether any offence or breach of procedure occured.”
The PDP candidate’s petition places particular emphasis on establishing whether the individuals involved had lawful authority to remove political campaign materials from the area.
It also seeks clarification on the reported threat against people who wanted to document the incident.
Bawa, popularly known as Shehu ABG, has been campaigning on issues including security, equitable distribution of resources and people-centred governance.
In recent engagements with party members and stakeholders, he has also called for greater participation by residents in decisions affecting their communities.
The PDP candidate has previously raised concerns about the challenges opposition parties face in displaying campaign materials in Kaduna.
In September, he reportedly spoke about difficulties encountered when seeking to place campaign billboards, including allegations that some billboard owners were reluctant to accept opposition advertisements.
As of the information contained in the petition, no findings have been presented to confirm who removed the billboards or whether the reported threat was made.
It is also unclear whether the NSA’s office has responded to the request or whether a formal investigation has commenced.
