The Northern Star learnt that Nagenu was arrested at his residence in Bida following how he was linked to a viral video showing a violent attack on the convoy of Niger State Governor, Umar Bago.
Abdulmalik Usman Nagenu, the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) chairmanship candidate for Bida Local Government Area, whose name and party were omitted from the ballot papers during the November 1 local government election, has been reportedly arrested.
Sources told Our Reporters that the arrest was ordered by the governor after some youths featured in the viral footage claimed responsibility for the attack, describing it as a form of retaliation for the “injustice meted out” to Nagenu.
The attack took place on Sunday in Bida when angry youths pelted the governor’s convoy with stones and sachet water during a visit, damaging several vehicles and injuring the Federal Character Commissioner representing Niger State, Jibrin (Garkuwan Nupe).
The violence reportedly erupted after a failed cash distribution exercise that left many residents furious.
The Northern Star, confirms that Nagenu was reportedly arrested last night at his residence.
According to sources, the arrest followed tensions that arose after a video of Nagenu’s condolence visit was misinterpreted as a political statement connected to the attack.
“This follows a misunderstanding arising from a video recorded during his condolence visit to Alhaji Mini’s residence at Masaba area, Bida. In the background of that video, some unidentified individuals were overheard making certain statements concerning the recent incident involving the Governor of Niger State,” a source told our reporter.
It explained that the remarks in question were not made by Nagenu himself but by unidentified persons present in the background.
The statement further clarified that “It’s important to clarify that Nagenu had no connection with or prior knowledge of those utterances. His visit was purely a condolence gesture, and he remains a man of peace and respect for authority.”
Political sources in Bida believe the arrest might have been influenced by Nagenu’s growing grassroots popularity, which some opponents allegedly viewed as a threat.
Before the election, Nagenu had publicly accused the Niger State Independent Electoral Commission (NSIEC) of excluding his name and party from the ballot.
In a video shared on social media, he said, “My name and my party were missing from the ballot papers despite being among the first candidates to register for the election.”
He later described the development as “disappointing” and expressed concern that the omission could undermine the credibility of the election.
Despite calls from supporters to challenge the outcome, Nagenu maintained his commitment to peace and stated that he would not take the matter to court.
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