NNPP Disowns Borno Central Senatorial Candidate Amidst Police Detention

The New Nigeria Peoples Party (NNPP) in Borno State has disowned its former senatorial candidate for the Borno Central district, Atom Magira, who was recently detained by the Borno State Police Command.

Magira’s personal assistant, Mohammed Yahaya, confirmed his detention, stating that the politician was taken into custody by the police on Sunday night over alleged criticism of Governor Babagana Umara Zulum of Borno State. However, the chairman of NNPP in Borno, Barrister Mustapha Mohammed, clarified that Magira had resigned from the party over a month ago.

According to Mohammed, Magira’s actions, including addressing himself as “His Excellency” and erecting a billboard advocating for a political merger, amounted to impersonation and violations of electoral law. “Atom Magira is no longer a member of our party. He left the party over a month ago. So, there is no chieftain of the NNPP in police custody in Borno,” he asserted.

Magira, a former gubernatorial aspirant with the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2019 elections, is well-known as an outspoken critic of Governor Zulum’s policies. His detention is believed to be linked to a controversial billboard, sponsored by supporters of the “YES TO MERGER” campaign, which called for a merger of political parties in the state. The billboard, which featured Magira’s image and the slogan “Say Yes To Merger,” was reportedly destroyed by unknown individuals.

Sources suggest that the destruction of the billboard and Magira’s detention may be part of an effort by the state government to stifle serious opposition in Borno. “They don’t want a credible opposition in the state. Whoever challenges them is crippled; that’s been the norm since 1999,” a source claimed.