By Ahmed Rufa’i, Dutse
Tension has gripped Kazaure, Jigawa State, following the arrest of Comrade Hannafi Yakubu Jawo, a prominent All Progressives Congress (APC) chieftain and close ally of Senator Babangida Hussain, representing Jigawa Northwest.
Jawo, who chairs the Wali People First support group for the senator, was reportedly picked up from his residence in the early hours of Saturday by police operatives and taken to the Area Command headquarters.
Sources within the senator’s political structure told National Update that the arrest stemmed from a petition allegedly filed by the senator’s Personal Assistant, Muhammad Alhassan, popularly called Dan Alhassan.
The development, insiders said, is connected to a disagreement over empowerment materials distributed to constituents under one of the senator’s programmes.
From detention, Jawo recounted that trouble began when he demanded items allegedly earmarked for members of his group.
He claimed that the senator’s aide insisted the items had been stolen—an explanation he doubted and later criticized on social media.
“I was arrested simply because I asked questions. Now, they want to detain me until Monday to punish me and intimidate others,” Jawo alleged.
He stressed that the incident runs contrary to the values of Senator Hussain.
“We know Senator Walin Kazaure does not support cheating or intimidation. This is the handiwork of individuals around him,” he added.
Efforts to reach Alhassan for comment were unsuccessful, as his phone remained switched off.
When contacted, the Police Public Relations Officer in Jigawa, SP Lawal Shi’isu Adam, said he had not yet been briefed on the case.
“It has not reached the level where I would be informed. Give me some time to find out,” he told National Update.
As at press time, it was unclear whether Jawo would be released on bail before Monday. The arrest has fueled debates in Kazaure over transparency and fairness in political empowerment schemes.
