FACT-CHECK: Vehicle Belonging to Political Supporter Burnt in Yankara, Not During Gov. Radda’s Campaign Rally
BY: Oluwatoyin Hawal Momolosho
Claim:
An APC party vehicle was set ablaze in Yankara, Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State, during Governor Dikko Radda’s campaign rally.
Verdict: MISLEADING.
Full Text:
An X account, Nigerian News (@Nigerians_New), on October 31, 2026, claimed that an APC party vehicle was set ablaze in Yankara, Faskari Local Government Area of Katsina State, during Governor Dikko Radda’s campaign rally.
The post, captioned “BREAKING: An APC Party Vehicle Was Set Ablaze in Yankara, Faskari Local Government Area, During Governor Dikko Radda’s Campaign Rally,” featured a 22-second video showing a blue vehicle parked by the roadside with a crowd gathered around it.
The claim circulated on the same day Governor Radda attended a campaign rally in Faskari, raising questions about the circumstances surrounding the incident.
Verification:
A review by FactCheckAfrica found that a vehicle was indeed set ablaze in Yankara on October 31, 2026.
In a report published by Channels Television, Alhaji Nura Sule Yandaki, chairman of the Musa Adamu Network (MAN) Caucus, said he and 11 members of his team were travelling to attend the governor’s rally when they encountered trouble during a Maulud procession.
Yandaki alleged that some individuals attacked moving vehicles and confirmed that a vehicle belonging to his organisation was burnt. He said members of his delegation escaped unharmed.
However, the Katsina State Government disputed reports linking the disturbance to the governor’s campaign activities. In a statement reported by Channels Television, the governor’s Chief Press Secretary, Ibrahim Mohammed Kaula, attributed the incident to a disagreement between Maulud procession participants and security personnel over designated routes.
The government maintained that the disturbance was unrelated to the campaign rally, adding that Governor Radda had passed through Yankara safely before proceeding to Faskari.
On November 1, 2026, the Katsina State Police Command confirmed the burning of a vehicle in the community. According to Premium Times report on November 2, police spokesperson DSP Abubakar Sadiq Aliyu said a crowd blocked a road, threw objects and set political posters ablaze before burning a Toyota Sienna belonging to a political supporter travelling to attend the rally.
The police explained that the vehicle had developed a mechanical fault and was parked by the roadside after its driver proceeded to the campaign venue. They also confirmed the arrest of three suspects: Garba Shu’aibu, 25; Salmanu Ibrahim, 18; and Nazifi Hussaini, 30.
The command said investigations were ongoing to establish the circumstances surrounding the incident and apprehend other suspects.
FactCheckAfrica investigation shows that although the burning of a vehicle was confirmed, the police did not identify it as an officially owned APC party vehicle. While Yandaki attributed the burnt vehicle to his organisation, the police described it as belonging to a political supporter without independently establishing its official ownership.
The timing also contradicts the impression created by the viral post. According to the police, Governor Radda had passed through Yankara before the disturbance occurred. Although the incident happened on the same day as the rally, available evidence does not establish that the vehicle was burnt during the event.
Furthermore, the government and police offered different accounts of what triggered the disturbance, while the political affiliations of the arrested suspects and the motive behind the incident remained unestablished.
FactCheckAfrica also could not independently authenticate the viral video as showing the specific Toyota Sienna identified by the police.
Conclusion:
The claim that an APC party vehicle was burnt during Governor Dikko Radda’s campaign rally in Katsina is MISLEADING. Although police confirmed that a Toyota Sienna belonging to a political supporter was burnt in Yankara on October 31, 2026, they did not establish that it was officially owned by the APC.
The police also stated that the governor had passed through the community before the incident. Therefore, available evidence does not support the claim that the vehicle was burnt during the rally.
