Bloodshed in Sokoto: Two Shot as Security Operatives Clash with Atiku’s ADC Supporters Ahead of Campaign Flag-Off

​SOKOTO — Tension boiled over in Sokoto State on Wednesday as two individuals, identified as supporters of the African Democratic Congress (ADC), sustained gunshot wounds following a violent confrontation with operatives of the Sokoto State Community Guards.

​The incident unfolded along the busy Sokoto–Wurno Road as waves of party faithful thronged the metropolis to receive the opposition party’s presidential candidate, Atiku Abubakar, who arrived in the state for the party’s much-anticipated 2027 presidential campaign flag-off.

​According to eyewitness accounts, the flashpoint occurred when security operatives mounted an unauthorized or restrictive barricade along the arterial route linking Sokoto metropolis to the eastern flank of the state. Vehicles conveying enthusiastic supporters to the rally venue were ordered to turn back, triggering a heated verbal exchange.

​The situation rapidly deteriorated when operatives allegedly opened fire during the ensuing altercation, leaving two people with severe gunshot injuries. The victims were immediately rushed to an undisclosed medical facility for emergency treatment.

​Rising Political Tensions and Security Concerns

​The latest bloodshed underscores an escalating climate of hostility surrounding political opposition activities in the North-West zone ahead of the 2027 general elections. Wednesday’s violence is part of a growing string of friction between opposition actors and state-backed security outfits.

​Prior to this clash, the ADC had raised alarms over an alleged pattern of intimidation, which included a previous incident where the party’s governorship candidate, Hon. Manir Muhammad Dan’iya, was reportedly targeted in an attack at the Sultan Abubakar III International Airport, Sokoto.

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​Despite the gridlock and blockade, grid progress was only salvaged when the Civilian JTF contingent attached to the convoy of Senator Ibrahim Lamido—coordinator of the Sokoto State ADC Presidential Campaign Council—intervened, eventually clearing a pathway for stranded convoys to reach the rally grounds.

​Police Response

​When contacted for comments regarding the shooting incident, the Public Relations Officer of the Sokoto State Police Command, DSP Ahmad Rufai, stated that the command had yet to receive official briefing or formal reports concerning the incident, maintaining that he could not immediately confirm the development.

​Political analysts and civil society groups have renewed calls for restraint, urging state authorities to guarantee a level playing field and insulate local security structures from partisan politics to avert further loss of lives.