The senatorial primary election of the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kaura Namoda, Zamfara State, was disrupted by violence on Monday following an attack by suspected political thugs on polling centres, including one near the Emir’s Palace.

The suspected thugs attacked Namoda Model Primary School and the Galadima Dangaladima Ward polling unit in front of the Emir’s Palace, forcing voters and residents to flee for safety.

The attacks triggered panic in the affected areas, as voters abandoned the polling centres amid the violence.

Some suspected political thugs were also involved in a physical altercation among themselves, leaving one person seriously injured.

Before the arrival of the attackers, one of the voters, identified as Malam Sanusi Kaura, had alerted a Daily Trust correspondent to their possible arrival.

“I came to inform you, as a journalist and the voice of the voiceless, that we have received information that the thugs are on their way to disrupt the process,” he said.

The attacks disrupted activities at the polling centres as voters waited for the arrival of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials, who had yet to arrive as of 11:30 a.m.

The two aspirants contesting for the senatorial seat are the incumbent Senator Sahabi Ya’u Kaura, who belongs to the camp of the Minister of State for Defence, Bello Matawalle, and Senator Tijjani Yahaya Kaura, who is from the camp of Senator Abdul’aziz Yari, Director-General of the APC Presidential Campaign Council.

Both aspirants are from the same political ward, Galadima Dangaladima, in Kaura Namoda metropolis.

Meanwhile, the Chairman of Kaura Namoda Local Government Area, Hon. Mannir Muhammad Haidara, narrowly escaped being lynched after suspected thugs attacked his vehicle at Namoda Model Primary School, damaging parts of it.

The attackers later moved to the Galadima Dangaladima polling unit near the Emir’s Palace, where they disrupted voting activities and the chanting of slogans by supporters.

The supporters had been chanting slogans calling for the return of Senator Sahabi Ya’u to the Senate for a fifth term when the violence erupted.

The incidents heightened tension in the affected areas, bringing polling activities to a halt.

As of the time of filing this report, INEC officials had yet to arrive at Kyanbarawa, Kasuwar Daji, Maguru and Kaura Namoda, according to findings by a Daily Trust correspondent who visited the areas.