By AHMED ABUBAKAR, Dutse

At least one person was allegedly killed while no fewer than three persons have sustained serious injuries when rival factions of thugs clashed on Saturday at the official road commissioning of Babura township road by Jigawa Governor Alhaji Muhammed Badaru Abubakar alongside his Ebonyi State counterpart Mr Dave Umahi.

Although the death of one of the victims of the clash could not be substantiated as at the time of this report, however, investigations by The Sun at the Babura General Hospital showed a barricade of military and police vehicles blocking the entrance and preventing people from gaining access.

After prolonged pleadings and persuasions, the combined military and police officers allowed the media to have access with a strong warning against the use of cameras.

At the Babura General Hospital emergency unit, three people with wounds sustained from cuts were being attended to while another was already unconscious and receiving a blood transfusion.

Some of the friends of the victims seen at the hospital said they mobilised their members to donate blood to rescue the bleeding victims.

Earlier at the road commissioning, a group of heavily armed thugs were seen in an open confrontation with another rival group brandishing dangerous weapons such as knives and machetes.

The incident happened a stone’s throw from the governor’s country home, where the thugs had a field day at the official commissioning of the Babura township road.

The thugs who came in droves assembled themselves behind the venue of the road commissioning event that included the state Governor Alhaji Muhammed Badaru Abubakar and Ebonyi State Governor Mr Dave Umahi.

According to eyewitnesses, the quarrel between the two factions from Babura and Gumel local government areas is the latest in a long-running conflict.

However, are said to have taken a new dimension when the Babura based thugs perceived that a leader from the rival Gumel based group was being favoured by government officials.

Abubakar, a witness from the area, who told our reporter that the clash has to do with drumming support for a particular candidate for 2023 governorship elections.

When contacted, police spokesperson ASP Aminudeen Zubair confirmed the incident and disclosed the names of the victims as Sadisu Muhammed and Abubakar Muhammed.

The spokesperson said they have not received any report of death from the fight which he said was between the political thugs who have been transferred to the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital in Kano, saying their case was critical. (Sunday Sun)

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