Banga, who identified himself as being from Lapai town in Lapai Local Government Area of the state, made the remarks in a video circulated ahead of the upcoming political campaign season.
Aresident of Niger State has called on security agencies to investigate a viral video in which a man identified as Alhaji Banga threatened to assault people who oppose Governor Mohammed Umar Bago.
Banga, who identified himself as being from Lapai town in Lapai Local Government Area of the state, made the remarks in a video circulated ahead of the upcoming political campaign season.
In the video, Banga accused people of “provoking” supporters of Bago, popularly known as Farmer Bago, and warned those criticising or opposing the governor that they would face retaliation.
He said: “Anyone who says he will not back down over Farmer Bago will not back down. By Allah, the time has come for us to deal with you. We will deal with you, I am telling you, whoever you are.”
He further threatened those opposing the governor, saying, “Anyone who says he will not back down over Farmer Bago, if we do not deal with his father, then we are bastards.”
Banga also challenged political opponents to identify their locations, saying his supporters did not know where some of those criticising the governor lived.
“The only problem is that we do not know who you are, and we do not know the neighbourhood where you live. If you are going to speak, tell us that you are in such-and-such a neighbourhood or in such-and-such a town, in such-and-such area, if you are not afraid,” he said.
He, however, openly identified himself and his location, saying, “I am Alhaji Banga speaking from Lapai town. If you are looking for me, do not hesitate. Once you get to Lapai town and say you want to be taken to the house of Alhaji Banga, you will be brought to my house.”
Banga went on to warn political aspirants seeking to challenge Bago, saying they should be prepared to confront his supporters.
“Any man who is coming out in Niger State to seek the governorship should come out and face us. Have you been told that we are afraid?” he said.
He repeatedly warned his perceived opponents to “be careful” and threatened that those who failed to heed his warning would be dealt with.
Reacting to the video, a resident who expressed concern over the remarks described them as a serious threat that should attract the attention of security agencies.
“This is a serious threat that should not be ignored by the security agencies,” the resident said.
“Someone who openly threatens citizens with violence should be arrested and questioned by the appropriate authorities, rather than being allowed to move around freely or be recruited into a vigilante group.”
The resident also questioned whether Bago was aware of the alleged threats or had instructed individuals to intimidate citizens holding opposing political views.
“We wonder whether the governor is aware of, or has instructed these individuals to threaten citizens who hold opposing political views,” the resident said.
The resident called on the Nigeria Police Force and the Niger State Police Command to urgently investigate the video and take appropriate action in accordance with the law.
“Democracy must not be turned into violence, intimidation, or political thuggery. Every citizen has the right to support or oppose any political candidate without fear of assault,” the resident said.
“We demand immediate action to protect the people of Niger State.”
Electoral violence, inflammatory rhetoric and severe security threats have heavily characterised recent Nigerian elections.
On Sunday, SaharaReporters reported that Borno State Commissioner for Youth and Sports Development, Sainna Buba, had come under criticism over comments in which he threatened political opponents with punishment if they refused to support the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC).
Buba, a known ally of Governor Babagana Umara Zulum, made the remarks at a campaign inauguration organised by the Tinubu City Boy Movement.
The City Boy Movement is a political support group and grassroots mobilization organization. It is dedicated to promoting the policies of President Bola Tinubu’s administration and securing his re-election.
The phrase “City Boy” is a popular political moniker originally given to Tinubu, from his time as the former Governor of Lagos, the commercial nerve centre of the country.
Speaking at the event, the commissioner was caught on video saying, “Whoever shows us a finger, we are ready to cut off his fingers.”
He further warned those who opposed the government, saying: “We are now playing politics. Whoever shows us a finger, we will show him a finger. Whoever dares to show us a finger again, we will break his finger. The government is our government. Those who follow us will enjoy the honey; if you refuse, then you will be flogged.”
Buba later tendered an apology and retracted the comments. The commissioner said the remark was not intended to harm or violate the fundamental rights of the people to freedom of choice and association.
The highly publicised incident involving Senator Francis Fadahunsi in Osun State is another example of the concerns surrounding the use of threatening language during election campaigns.
During the buildup to the Osun State Governorship Election, Fadahunsi, the APC lawmaker representing Osun East, became embroiled in controversy after a video emerged in which he appeared to instruct APC supporters to “kill” members of the rival Accord Party while addressing a campaign rally in Ilesa.
He also reportedly referred to the violent political crisis of 1983 in the former Western Region, including the burning of an opposition candidate’s family home.
The remarks generated widespread outrage and prompted the Osun State Police Command to summon the senator for questioning. In a letter signed by Samuel Erale, the Commissioner of Police for election duties, the police described the senator’s statements as “threatening, inciting, and intimidating in nature.”
Fadahunsi honoured the invitation and appeared at the State Criminal Investigation Department in Osogbo. He denied calling for physical violence, arguing that his words had been deliberately manipulated and that their meaning had been distorted because he spoke in Yoruba.
He maintained that when he said supporters should “kill Accord,” he meant they should defeat the party with their votes at the ballot box, not physically attack its members.
Despite the controversy and police invitation, there was no reported prosecution or punitive action against the senator beyond the questioning.
Civil society organisations, including ActionAid Nigeria, subsequently condemned what they described as the normalisation of impunity surrounding inflammatory electoral rhetoric.
