The celebrated polygamist, Pa Abubakar Masaba, is heading for a showdown with the Independent National Electoral Commission and the police following allegations that members of his family, numbering over 5,000 were denied registration by suspected thugs in the just concluded voter registration exercise.
Our correspondent gathered that suspected thugs allegedly thwarted efforts by members of the Masaba’s family to participate in the voter registration exercise at a registration unit in Bida Local Government Area of the state.
Masaba is reported to have 86 wives.
It was learnt that the thugs specifically prevented INEC officials from registering the Masaba family and that security operatives allegedly refused to come to his rescue.
The lawyer to the family, Mr. Shehu Jubril, told our correspondent in Minna, Niger State, that over 10 hoodlums frustrated efforts of the Masabas to register.
He alleged that the thugs, led by one Gimba, created pandemonium in a registration unit close to Masaba’s residence as they stormed the area beating and wounding members of the family who had queued up to register.
He said the hoodlums overpowered officials of INEC and prevented them from registering Masaba’s family members.
He claimed that about nine members of the family were wounded by the attackers, lamenting that despite complaints lodged by Masaba to the police area commander, nobody was arrested in connection with the incident.
He accused the police of connivance and said Masaba had concluded plans to seek redress in court.
He said the development amounted to a breach of fundamental human rights and assault.
“The recent interview granted by the area commander in a local newspaper has however indicated that police have taken sides on the matter as he went on saying that the family has no business registering at their own Masaba ‘A’ polling unit”, he said.
When our correspondent contacted the Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Mr. Richard Oguche, he said he was yet to receive the report.
He said the district police officers would brief the command on developments in their various areas on Monday (today).
Also, INEC state Public Relations Officer, Alhaji Abdulmalik Wase, claimed ignorance of the development and said he knew nothing about Masaba and his family.
