THE Yobe State Police Command has urged politicians to desist from hiring thugs as security for the general elections in 2023.
State Police Commissioner, Haruna Garba, made the remarks at a stakeholders’ meeting which the police had organized ahead of the elections in 2023.
According to the police chief, only the police and its sister agencies are authorized to provide protection for the entire election under the terms of the 2022 Electoral Act as amended.
The commissioner issued a warning, stating that anyone found using a firearm during the election would be detained and charged.
Garba further adviced that political parties should avoid resentment and hate speech, instead they should always act in the spirit of good sportsmanship.
He emphasized that “No ambition is worth anyone’s blood. Even if you lose now, you might win later.”
The commissioner went on to say that the police are ready to offer sufficient security to guarantee a peaceful election.
The CP further urged political parties to give the police their campaign schedules so that they could plan effectively.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdullahi, also spoke at the ceremony and pledged that free and fair elections would be held.
He added that steps had been done to make voting easier for people with disabilities and that the commission had shown a preliminary voter register for claims and complaints.
