TheCable

Yaro Makama, a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Kaduna state, has been arrested.

This comes 24 hours after Ben Bako, director of publicity of the PDP campaign in Kaduna, was arrested and flown to Abuja.

Bako was arrested for making inciting comments in a video clip recorded during the PDP campaign rally in Kafanchan, Jama’a local government area of the state last week.

Commenting on the latest arrest, Danjuma Sarki, deputy director-general of the campaign organisation, said it is part of the grand design by the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state to clampdown on PDP members before the elections.

“This morning, Makama was invited by the state police command. He honoured the police invitation as a law abiding citizen,” he said.

“They accused him of hate speech and he was asked to write a statement. We thought that after writing the statement, they will let him go, but surprisingly he was taken to Abuja after writing his statement. Yesterday (Sunday), when we addressed a press conference, we said there were plans by the state government to frame and arrest 150 prominent PDP members before the elections.

“This is a clear indication that they have started executing the plan.”

Yakubu Sabo, spokesman of the Kaduna police command, did not respond to calls and a text message sent.

Meanwhile the Kaduna State Peace Commission has expressed concern over reports of hate speech by politicians in the state.

In a statement on Monday, Priscilla Ankut, executive vice chairperson of the commission, said “the commission
notes with grave concern, reports of hate speeches in the form of statements by politicians and candidates with potentials of being interpreted as calls for violent actions”.