Police warns trouble makers ahead of guber polls
The Nigeria Police Force (NPF), has warned trouble makers who are planning to disrupt the governorship and state assembly polls on Saturday to be ready to face the consequence.
Deputy inspector-general of police in charge of the south-east, John Amadi, on Thursday asked residents of the geopolitical zone not to “entertain any fears”.
“The police are there to protect the system,” he said during a briefing in Umuahia, Abia state capital.
According to him, “Anybody that wants to disrupt the system should be ready to die.”
“Anybody that wants to put himself into problem or get involved in thuggery would have himself to blame. Anybody that wants to snatch ballot boxes or disrupt the elections will be promptly dealt with”.
“We have deployed our men to dominate all the areas that we think are trouble zones. So we are sounding a note of warning to criminals and non-state agents that we would not tolerate anything that would not allow the people cast their vote and chose who they want to represent them”.
The police chief urged the Abia electorate to disregard any threat to stop the elections while stating that officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) will be adequately protected.
He pledged the readiness of the force to maintain neutrality during the polls, saying the police do not belong to any political party.
Importation of political thugs
Nasarawa State Police Command says it has taken decisive measures to check activities of individuals and groups who attempt to disrupt the March 18 Governorship and State Assembly elections in the state.
The State Police Public Relations Officer Deputy Superintendent of Police Ramhan Nansel gave this indication in a statement following alleged importation of political thugs into the state to cause chaos during the polls.
“It has come to the knowledge of the Nasarawa State Police Command that, some desperate group of politicians in their bid to truncate the electoral process in the State have resorted to importing political thugs into some Local governments such as Nasarawa Eggon, Akwanga, Toto and Kokona.”
The statement warns politicians and their supporters to stay away from any act of violence during the elections as the Command in collaboration with other security agencies had been placed on red alerts to deal ruthlessly with the perpetrators.
It furthermore calls on residents of the state to ensure strict adherence to the restriction of movements order from 12 mid-night of March 17, 2023 to 6:00pm of March 18, 2023, pointing out that only accredited observers, journalists, security agents and one accredited agent from each of the registered political parties would be allowed entrance in all collation centres across the State.
The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Maiyaki Baba however called on the electorates to come out en masse and vote for candidates of their choices without fear as maximum security had been put in place.
‘It’s an election, not war’
The police command in Zamfara has cautioned politicians against seeing the elections as a do-or-die affair.
Commissioner of police in the state, Kolo Yusuf made the remarks when leaders of political parties signed a peace accord in Gusau, the Zamfara capital.
“I am happy that all critical stakeholders are here to endorse the peace accord,” he said.
‘No politician should use armed escorts’
The Kogi police command has warned politicians against using armed security escorts during the elections.
The commissioner of police, Yekini Ayoku gave the order during a stakeholder meeting in Ilorin, the capital of Kwara.
“On no account should any politician go about with armed men to polling units during Saturday’s House of Assembly elections in Kogi,” NAN quoted him as saying.
“Any politician who flouts this directive or order will be seriously dealt with in accordance with the law of the land.
“Although there wouldn’t be a governorship election in Kogi this time around until November, we are however not oblivious of the intense interest and passion that election into the state House of Assembly being the direct representatives of the people could generate.
The inspector-general of police (IGP), Usman Baba had earlier ordered quasi-security outfits to stay away from election-related activities nationwide.
The IGP also directed a restriction of vehicular movement between 12am and 6pm on Saturday.
Reporting by Christ Nyamtu; Editing by Abdullahi Lamino and Julian Osamoto