There was pandemonium in Kasuwan Ali community, Mangu Local Government Area of Plateau State, on Sunday after a resident identified as Sani Abdullahi was reportedly shot dead at the venue of the All Progressives Congress House of Representatives primary election.
According to Daily Trust, the victim was allegedly shot by soldiers following a disagreement over the commencement of the primary exercise.
A resident of the community, identified as Ibrahim Sale, who confirmed the incident, said the crisis began after some APC members protested the delay in the conduct of the primary election, which was initially scheduled to hold on Saturday morning.
Sale explained that the exercise could not commence as planned due to the absence of returning officers assigned to supervise the election process.
According to him, some youths in the area became aggrieved and accused party officials of deliberately delaying the exercise.
He further stated that government officials who arrived to observe the primary election later attempted to leave the venue because electoral officers were yet to arrive.
The source added that some youths blocked the road and prevented the officials from leaving, insisting that nobody would leave the venue until the primary election was conducted.
Sale said the situation later attracted security personnel who moved in to disperse the protesting youths.
According to him, the youths allegedly started throwing stones at the security operatives immediately they arrived at the scene.
He stated that the soldiers subsequently opened fire during the chaos, while a stray bullet reportedly struck the deceased.