Political Campaign: Police read riot act to politicians

Nigeria’s Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris, has warned that the police would not tolerate any form of political thuggery, intimidation, and violent conducts by politicians or their supporters.

The Force Public Relations Officer, Force Headquarters Abuja, Mr Jimoh Moshood, said on Tuesday that the IGP has directed Commissioners of Police in the Commands and Zonal Assistant Inspectors General of Police throughout the country, to arrest and immediately prosecute any party member or supporters in possession of firearms or dangerous weapons during political campaigns and rallies in their respective states.

“The Commissioners of Police in the Commands and Zonal Assistant Inspectors General of Police throughout the country are under strict instructions of the Inspector General of Police not to tolerate any form of political thuggery, intimidation, demonstration of violent conducts and over dramatization of political fans that can precipitate political clashes and jeopardize prevailing peace in their Commands from any Political Party or Politician(s).

“Commissioners of Police are to effect arrest and immediately prosecute any party member or supporters in possession of firearms or dangerous weapons during political campaigns and rallies in their respective states.’’

The Force, he said, would not condone hate speeches, indecent and criminal defamatory conducts from any individual(s) or group(s) that could cause threat to public peace and safety anywhere in the Country during the campaigns and beyond.

“The full weight of the law will be applied on any individual(s) or group(s) arrested”.

He also warned all Commissioners of Police in all the state commands and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and other senior officers that have one role or the other to play in the implementation of the security arrangement for the 2019 elections not to be partisan.

Furthermore, the IGP directed the implementation of a robust and elaborate security arrangement and measures to ensure adequate security and safety for the electioneering campaigns and rallies throughout the country.

He also urged parents, guardians and traditional/religious leaders, public office Holders are hereby implored to monitor their children, wards, subjects and adherent to be law abiding and resist to be used to cause disturbance of public peace and violation of law and order during the period of the campaigns and beyond.