President Goodluck Jonathan’s motorcade was once again pelted with stones by unidentified youths in Taraba State on Thursday, January 29, 2015 when visited the state as part of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential campaign.
This would be the third time such will occur after similar incidents were recorded in Katsina ad Bauchi states and it took the intervention of security details, armed with tear gas and horsewhips to quell the tension and disperse the mob.
According to reports, the awry incident happened as the President and hos convoy were heading to the palace of Abass Tafida, the Emir of Muri.
An eyewitness availed thus: “Security agents ensured that people were moved very far from the main but at a point, the convoy got to a particular village where the youths became restive. Before we knew what was happening, they started stoning the convoy.”
Although it could not be confirmed if anyone in the president’s convoy was hurt by the attack, the President went ahead to visit the ailing Governor Danbaba Suntai at the Government House, Jalingo.
To add insult to injury, while President Jonathan was out campaigning, the Taraba State secretariat of the PDP was attacked by another set of youths.
The marauding youths, who succeeded in destroying twelve vehicles in the premises were eventually stopped in their tracks by security forces.
Reacting to the development, the PDP Spokesman in Taraba State, Napoleon Adamu stated his displeasure over the incident considering the fact that all political players had gathered to sign the Abuja Accord to ensure violence free politicking.
He said, “We are happy that no life was lost and we want to appeal to our teeming youths to eschew violence and not to take the law into their own hands.”
