Police allegedly go against PDP supporters in Jigawa

* Ex-Gov Lamido gathers support ahead of 2019 presidential elections

* Rally to honour him reportedly scuttled by the police

* Arrests Lamido's supporters

The police in Jigawa state have reportedly arrested 148 supporters of former Governor Sule Lamido of Jigawa state who gathered to honour him.

Alhaji Sule Lamido.

Daily Trust reports that the supporters of the former governor and founding member of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) were drawn from 27 local governments in the state.

Apart from their arrest on Saturday, December 31, 2016, the report said police officers mounted road blocks along the roads leading to Bamaina, the home town of the former governor.

This forced people to take other routes while the event later held at a private house of the former governor.

Lamido has been a major critic of the Muhammadu Buhari government and is touted to have a presidential ambition ahead of 2019.

The report added that Lamido, who spoke with journalists in his country home later that day, expressed shock at the action of the police.

He said: “I’ve never heard of a mutual gathering that requires one to ask for permit, even on Saturday we were in Sokoto for a wedding and nobody was asked to show his permit. But, since it is Sule Lamido, whoever is coming to see me must get permit.”

The report further said that the spokesperson for the police in Jigawa state, Abdul Jinjiri, said police officers were deployed to different parts of Birnin Kudu local government area and not just Bamaina following reports of a planned security breach.

 “So far, 148 people in possession of dangerous weapons that include locally made revolver with live ammunition, Dane guns and other weapons have been arrested,” he said.