Protesters throw missiles at Saraki, other dignitaries at Ilorin eid ground

Some worshippers threw missiles in the direction of dignitaries, including Senate President Bukola Saraki, on Thursday at the eid praying ground in Ilorin, Kwara state.

While some of them complained about the non-payment of outstanding salaries, some alleged that the bailout funds were being used for “Abuja politics” — an insinuation thought to be in reference to Saraki, who is a former governor of the state.

The protesters were chanting “ole!” (“thief”) continuously as Saraki and other dignitaries left the ground.

Ibrahim Sulu Gambari, emir of Ilorin, was one of the dignitaries in attendance, along with Bolaji Abdullahi, former minister of sport; Abubakar Kawu Baraje, former acting national chairman of the PDP, and Razak Atunwa, former speaker of the house of assembly.

Abdulfatah Ahmed, the governor of the state, did not observe his prayers in Ilorin but was at Share local government.

An iron barricade designed to protect the dignitaries was pulled down by the protesters, whom government officials alleged were sponsored by a former vice-chancellor and political rival of the Saraki and Ahmed.

“It was not a protest as being reported but an organised attack by the thugs of the former VC,” a government official told TheCable on phone, denying claims it was unpaid workers that were behind the incident.

Saraki’s media office has denied that there was an attack on the senate president.

Yusuph Olaniyonu, his spokesman, said the report was “totally false” and “a figment of the imagination of those behind the story because the protest was never targeted at him, neither was any missile hurled at him.”
Meanwhile, the state government has issued a statement denying claims that the protests were caused by delays in salary payment.

A statement by the governor’s spokesman, Muideen Akorede, said the majority of state and local government workers, including primary school teachers, had received their salaries.

He said others would be paid next week after the public holidays.

The state government said there is “no reason” for anyone or group “to spread negative rumors or incite trouble on any account as Governor Abdulfatah Ahmed approved the payment of state and local government workers last Tuesday in anticipation of monthly allocation to the state and federal government salary bailout for local government councils”.