He stated this when he received the state inter-agency consultative committee on electoral security (ICCES).
The Chief Judge, Justice Muhammad Sai’du Sifawa said he would assign special court to handle electoral offences as the 2023 general elections approach.
Members of ICCES, who are representatives of other security agencies in the state were led by the Sokoto State Commissioner of Police, CP Usaini Muhammad Gumel to pay courtesy call on Justice Sifawa last week Tuesday.
Gumel briefed the Chief Judge of the Committee, which is the first of its kind in the state.
According to him, it was set up primarily with the mandate of policing and managing the upcoming general elections to:
- Ensuring the safety and security of all persons and properties that will be involved in the entire electoral process without bias.
- Strict enforcement of the constitution of the federal Republic of Nigeria, the penal code as well as the electoral laws without fear or favor,
- Provision of security, jointly organizing traffic and crowd management at political party campaigns, rallies and other activities relating to the elections.
- Escalation of security deployments to occupy public space for crime free and enabling environment for the political campaigns and other components of the electoral process to thrive.
Gumel further stated that all the security agencies will be working together on election security and management.
“However, the committee cannot stand alone because law enforcement agencies are gates to criminal justice administration and the courts are the ultimate.
“We can only do better towards supporting INEC to conduct free, fair, transparent and credible elections in 2023 only with the honest support of the judiciary,” Gumel said.
Responding, the Chief Judge assured of the commitment of the state judiciary towards working with the committee for quick dispensation of justice.
He pledged to assign special court with mandate to be handling all suspects in cases of electoral offences, stressing that “all offences of political thuggery will be dealt with decisively and no matter the forces behind it.”
