Uneasy calm has greeted Nasarawa following the Supreme Court judgment today that upheld the election of Governor Abdullahi Sule of the All Progressive Congress APC.
Protest characterised the outcome of the judgement as some residents not satisfied with the judgement took to the streets protesting against what they claimed to be rob of democracy in Nasarawa.
The protest, our correspondent gathered, led to the police allegedly dispersing women for justice with the use of tear gas at the PDP state secretariat.
It was also gathered that the coordinator of the Women for Justice group, James Alu was allegedly brutalized by some people suspected to be APC supporters and manhandled in the presence of the detachment of the police personnel deployed to ensure that there were no breakdown of law during and after the court judgment on the Nasarawa guber case in Abuja.
The aged women were seen calling on God to intervene in the Nasarawa situation, expressing their disappointment at the verdict of the Supreme Court over the judgment against the wishes and interests of majority of the citizens and residents.
Mercy Ogah who spoke to our correspondent in Lafia, alleged that the women were in their normal gathering point praying when some persons suspected to be APC thugs as well as police allegedly invaded the secretariat complex and started firing tear gas on the crowd.
“We have the right to express our dissatisfaction where our rights are trampled upon. One of the old women was hit with a stone and our coordinator was beaten almost to death if not for God’s mercy”.
Ogah lamented that it was this same kind of molestation and brutality suffered that compelled them to vote massively for David Ombugadu who they believe will end the evil they have suffered over the years.
“The coordinator, James Alu is currently receiving treatment in one of the hospitals in Lafia, the state capital.”
Meanwhile, in a swift reaction, the police authority in the state denied the allegations that its personnel brutalized somebody in the state.
In a telephone conversation with the command Public Relations Officer, DSP Ranham Nansel, the command said the personnel of the command were only detailed to where protesters had blocked the Jos-Lafia road to clear the road for free flow of traffic along the highway.
“Nobody was brutalized. After the Supreme Court judgment on the Nasarawa state governorship election, some aggrieved individuals blocked Lafi-Jos road, and stopped vehicular movement by burning tires on the highway and harassing unsuspecting members of the public and road users, thereby disrupting business activities.
“That is why the police and sister security agencies immediately moved to the scene, dispersed the individuals and opened the road for free flow of traffic. “Consequently, 38 suspects were arrested and 29 motorcycles were recovered. The suspects have been charged to court”, the Police spokesman declared.
“On the issue of the woman being shot, that is a rumour, there is no reported use of firearm by the police operatives deployed by this operation as they were led by very senior officers”, the PPRO said.
