Nigerians Slam Niger Gov Over Attack On Cleric By Security Aides

Governor, Mohammed Bago of Niger State has come under attack for ordering his security aides to slap one of the Islamic clerics at a gathering.

In a video that has gone viral, Governor Bago was seen and heard ordering his aide to ‘slap’ the cleric.

“Slap him, very well. I said slap him. Go and arrest him. Deal with him well-well”, the governor ordered.

Thereafter, the angry governor was heard uttering a Hausa idiomatic expression, popularly interpreted by many critics as “I have power.”

The embattled cleric, seen kneeling in the video, was dragged away from the gathering by one of the security operatives suspected to be an officer of the Department of State Services (DSS).

Interestingly, some people at the gathering were laughing and giggling when the governor gave the order, even as the offence committed by the cleric was not known.

However, competent sources said he wanted to give the closing prayer at the event which Governor Bago vehemently opposed for yet to be disclosed reason.

And dragging the governor on social media Saturday, some commentators described his action as an abuse of power should is most unfortunate and a show of shame by a public offer.

In his reaction, a popular skit maker, Debo Adedayo, popularly known as Mr Macaroni, wrote, “A governor who has sworn to serve the people is ordering a security agent to assault the same citizen he sworn to serve. See security agent too, flexing muscles on a man already on his knees. Continue pushing the people until they get to the wall.

“See my people laughing and giggling while their brother, a fellow human being like them was being assaulted by the same person that swore to serve and protect them.”

Similarly, an X user identified as @greatjoe01 tweeted, “I sincerely understand when people argue against state policing for fear of this kind of abuse of power from the governors. But what exactly are the governors not doing with the federal police now?

“Here is a DSS agent being ordered to carry out illegality. What are we afraid of?”

In his reaction to the incident, a human rights lawyer, Mr Deji Ajare, condemned the governor’s action, describing it as a violation of the cleric’s right.

However, when contacted, the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Bologi Ibrahim, said he was not aware of the viral video.

He said, “I am not aware of the video. Is it social media work? I will look for it, let me check.” – With additional report from The Punch