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abujagirl
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According to PREMIUM TIMES, a pro-Jonathan political rally, disguised as a Unity and Peace rally, has ended abruptly on a tragic note in Kaduna, with an unspecified number of participants reportedly injured, with some dripping with blood.
The rally was organised by the Northern Youth Forum.
The participants were transported to Kaduna from all the 19 northern states and paid N3000 each.
In the invitations to participants, organizer Jubril Tafida, a former vice-chairman of a local government in Kaduna and current youth leader of the Northern Youth Forum, had claimed the rally was called to promote unity in the north.
But shortly after the event began at the Murtala Muhammed Square in central Kaduna, it dawned on participants that the rally was organised to drum up support for the reelection bid of President Goodluck Jonathan, witnesses said.
Muhammed Bello, who attended the event, said the rally turned violent after Mr. Tafilda and other speakers began to heap praises on President Jonathan in their speeches.
“As they praised Jonathan, some elements in the crowd began exhibiting campaign posters of the President,” Mr. Bello said. “A lot of participants became angry and they started throwing stones and bottles at the organizers. People started running in different directions. Some people were saying they don’t want to hear Jonathan’s name at the rally.”
Eyewitness reports claim that, not fewer than 2 people were reportedly stabbed while several others suffered minor injuries after participants began to use dangerous weapons on one another.
The Kaduna state police command is yet to confirm the incident.