By Abdallah el-Kurebe
#NigeriaDecides2023 – ASHENEWS reports that the Sokoto State Commissioner of Police, CP Muhammed Usaini Gumel has warned politicians that are vent on causing havoc in the state, to rescind their ploys or be made to face the full wrath of the law.
This online platform further reports that Gumel stated this when he unveiled Operation “Kule, Chas” at the Command Headquarters in Sokoto on Friday.
“We are not toys but trained and equipped to protect citizens, and we will deploy necessary force to subdue the enemy of State.
“Anybody who tries to sabotage the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), will be arrested and prosecuted,” the CP warned.
He said that the safety of the general public is the priority of the Police, and the Command Joint Security Operatives, will deal ruthlessly with anyone who is bent on taking advantage of the people.
“No politician will be allowed to take advantage of the people of this state to derail the peaceful atmosphere in the state,” he said.
Negotiation after arrest closed
According to him, “the Police will trail and arrest anybody found with any kind of weapon, and there will be no negotiation after such arrest. And if any politician comes to intervene after the arrest, such politician will be considered as an enemy of the state and also be arrested.
CP Gumel further said that the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) had met with leaders of the political parties at an emergency meeting on the launch of “Operation Kule, Chas”.
He recalled that an emergency meeting was convened “sequel to the recent spate of displays of weapons by political thugs of both supporters of the two political parties in the state; APC and PDP to the glare of concerned residents on 28th February and 2nd March, respectively.
“The display of weapons was under the guise of celebrating political victories and subsequent overreactions by a gathering of hunters and other unconventional forces at Kasarawa International Conference Centre that embarrassingly.
“This was in flagrant disobedience to the provision of the electoral act 2022 as amended that says: ‘Non conventional forces quasi-security outfits in the state and LGAs have no place in the electoral processes and the intention by some groups of politicians to deploy service uniforms of any description as a means of suppressing other voters or undermining security agencies’.
“It was on this note that the security managers and the representatives of both political parties were invited for the emergency meeting which was held at the Police HQ, office of the Commissioner of Police yesterday 2nd March, 2023.
“This strategic communication is the outcome of the meeting reiterating the fact that henceforth, any individual or group found violating the laws of the land will be squarely dealt with and that the windows of dialogue as it used to be in the past is outrightly closed.
“In view of the foregoing, the Command is using this medium to emphasize the assurance of the police, the joint security forces and the military to all residents of their safety at all times and that we are fully aware of all the fragility of the security situation in the state.
“The meeting had in attendance the State Director of Security Services and the representatives of the Nigeria Army and Airforce. From the leadership of the two political parties in attendance were: Abdullahi Balarabe Salame, Ach. Mu’azu Zabira, Ibrahim Dasuki Haske, retired Col. Garba Moye, Harande Mahe, and Dr. Yakubu Maccido,” he said.
