Alhassan Ado Doguwa, the majority leader of the House of Representatives, has been detained by the police for his suspected involvement in the killing of many people and the burning of the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) secretariat in Kano during the just completed election.
The NNPP campaign secretariat in Tudunwada was set on fire, and the police have verified that at least three people died as a result.
During the crisis that erupted during the compilation of the results of the Doguwa/Tudunwada House of Representatives election, which Doguwa was ultimately adjudged to have won, two people perished from fire injuries.
Doguwa was apprehended at the Malam Aminu Kano International Airport as he prepared to board a flight, according to a reliable source in the police formation.
The source said that the report from the police leadership in Tudunwada stated that Doguwa personally led the thugs that set ablaze the NNPP secretariat where at least two persons were burnt to death.
“He also used the pistol of his orderly and fired and several persons. So we have arrested him in connection to murder and arson.”
“He is currently cooling off in the state Criminal Investigation Department,” the source, who is very familiar with the investigation and asked not to be named, said.
The spokesman of the Kano Police Command, SP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, did not respond to call to his number.
Earlier, Doguwa had in a press briefing with journalists denied any culpability and said he learnt that the police were looking for him but he had not received any formal invitation. He also denied allegations that he shot at several individuals in the fracas that broke out, saying he does not own a gun neither does he know how to fire one.
“I never held a gun. I don’t even know how to hold a gun. I also never held any weapon throughout the election,” he said.
He, however, said the crisis started when NNPP supporters came with the mindset of burning the INEC office and were repelled by supporters of APC. Doguwa was elected for his 5th term on Saturday.
