Gov. Ganduje , Police are after my life- Activist raises alarm

A civil rights activist and a legal practitioner, Sa’ida Sa’ad-Bugaje has raised alarm over threat to her life accusing Kano State Governor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje and the Zone one police operatives.

In a save my soul message she sent to Solacebase on Friday, She said she and her family have continued to live under extreme fear for their lives since Sept 16th 2020.

Solacebase gathered that Kano State Governor, Dr Abdullahi Umar Ganduje has been after the activist over a viral video late last where she accused the governor of mismanaging fund generated in the handling of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The statement said on September,16^th  2020, police operatives from zone one in Kano were at her residence in Kaduna with the aim of arresting her.

Read Also:‘’Stop threatening civil servants to join your party ’’- PDP cautions Kano APC Chairman

‘’However, the police team were not allowed into my premises as their look was very suspicious. They were not wearing uniforms and they were armed, ‘’said Sa’ida Sa’ad-Bugaje.

‘’When we inquired from them the reason for my arrest, they said ‘’When you get to Kano at the zonal office you would be informed. So with this age of insecurity and abduction, I refused as they don’t even have a warrant of arrest.’’

‘’Subsequently, when they returned on September 18^th, I was told they forced their way into the premises as I was not around, brandishing a warrant of arrest dated September,17^th, which looks like an after thought.’’

According to the statement, Sa’ida said that she was later informed reliably that it was because of the viral video she made on Ganduje that led to the harassment by police.

‘’I was surprised because in my view, if Ganduje has anything against the video, he can go to court and I would be ready to defend myself, this, he has refused to do but rather harassing and intimidating me and my family everywhere with police.’’

‘’ I secured a court order restraining the police and Ganduje from harassing and intimidating me and my family but out rightly they have refused to obey the court order.’’

‘’I want to put this on record should anything happen to me, that even as there are court orders and subsisting court cases(for the enforcement of my fundamental human rights) in our law courts, Ganduje’s team has become more determined and relentless in picking me up for some cooked up charges against my person, ‘’the statement read.

‘’These charges are completely baseless and it is becoming clearer that Ganduje’s team have a personal score to settle with me and would go to any length to achieve their ill-perceived agenda of humiliating me and causing undue hardship and pain to my entire family. ‘’

‘’We just got reliable information this morning, Monday the 15th March that some men of the ‘law enforcement agencies visited the apartment I usually stay while in Abuja with my picture demanding that they ‘produce’ me. They arrived at 6.30 am and got all occupants of the building out in the car park where they searched through everyone harassing and intimidating them to produce me. Some were half-dressed as it is expected at that time of the morning.

‘’They are currently going around every I visit in Abuja with a cab driver I send around for errands in the FCT relentlessly looking for me even with the ongoing court cases and an order from a high court in Kano against the indiscriminate arrest. ‘’

Solacebase sighted a Kano High court order issued by Justice Abdu Maiwada Abubakar restraining all parties to maintain status-quo dated February 22^nd 2021 with the matter adjourned to March, 22^nd,2021.

She added in the statement that,’’ what Ganduje and his men are doing is completely against my basic and fundamental rights! If he truly believes that he has a genuine case of defamation of character against me then he should go to a proper court to institute a CIVIL ACTION. This is the proper thing to do but not to set the machinery of justice that is meant to give protection against me.’’

When contacted, Police Public Relations Officer, Zone 1, DSP Abubakar Zayyanu Ambrosa confirmed been aware of the case but was not sure if any of their team went to Abuja for the arrest of the activist on Monday.

However, he promised to get back since the Morning of Friday and yet to do so as at the time of filing this report.

Also, Kano State Commissioner of Information, Malam Muhammad Garba said the governor is pressing defamatory charges against Sa’ida Sa’ad-Bugaje over the allegation in the viral video.

When asked if he was aware of an existing court order restraining parties to maintain status quo pending adjourned date of the case instituted by the activist, he told Solacebase that there is also another court order that vacated the restraining order they secured.

He promised to send a copy to Solacebase when contacted on Friday afternoon but yet to receive the order as at this moment.