Baffa Babba Dan Agundi, a chieftain of the All Progressives Congress (APC), has been identified as the leader of a group of thugs who disrupted the #EndBadGovernance peaceful protest in Kano on Thursday.
Agundi, a prominent ally of President Bola Tinubu and former Governor Abdullahi Ganduje, was allegedly seen vandalizing property and leading violent thugs into the Government House in Kano State.
According to SaharaReporters, the APC chieftain, who has previously taken photographs with Ganduje and 2023 governorship candidate Dr. Nasiru Gawuna, was involved in the vandalism of government property and the incitement of violence.
The protest which started peacefully was hijacked by hoodlums who broke into shops, looted food items, and vandalized government establishments, including the court records office at the Audu Bako Secretariat Complex.
Witnesses claim that the protesters’ peaceful assembly was abruptly interrupted by Agundi and his group, leading to chaos and violence.
Concerned citizens in Kano have accused Agundi of orchestrating the looting and have criticized the Kano Commissioner of Police for allegedly granting him permission to lead the protesters despite the demonstration being directed against the federal government.
Agundi, who was the Director in charge of Tinubu’s support groups in the northwest and a former state House of Assembly member, was also involved in a controversial incident in 2007 related to the death of Hajiya Sa’adatu Rimi, the wife of the first civilian Governor of Kano State, late Alhaji Abubakar Rimi.
Although he and his elder brother were discharged by the court, the case remains inconclusive.
Earlier, Agundi was quoted as saying that he was leading the protesters to the palace of Emir Aminu Bayero to lodge a complaint, which they hoped would be forwarded to President Tinubu.
He reportedly assured the crowd that the protest would proceed regardless of the weather, emphasizing their determination to make their voices heard.
Eyewitnesses reported seeing Agundi among the protesters, surrounded by hoodlums who disrupted the peaceful demonstration.
This incident has sparked widespread condemnation from concerned citizens who argue that Agundi’s actions undermined the protesters’ rights to express their opinions peacefully.
As the situation develops, the public is calling for a thorough investigation into the events that transpired and for those responsible for the violence to be held accountable.
Baffa Babba Dan Agundi, who was recently appointed as the CEO of the National Productivity Centre, was also seen in a viral video making statements about creating chaos in Kano.
The Kano concerned citizens, through their spokesman Comrade Ghali Aliyu Bala Dantata, have called on Amnesty International and other human rights organizations to file for the prosecution of Baffa Dan Agundi and charge him with culpable homicide.
