By G9ija
The Yobe State Commissioner of Police, Haruna Garba, has warned politicians against hiring thugs for protection, for the 2023 general elections.
Garba gave the warning at a stakeholders’ meeting organised by the police, preparatory to the 2023 elections.
He said the 2022 Electoral Act, as amended, recognised only the police and its sister agencies as those mandated to provide security throughout the exercise.
The Commissioner, therefore, warned that any non-state actor caught wielding weapons during the election would be arrested and prosecuted.
Garba advised political parties to shun bitterness, hate speech and always exercise the spirit of sportsmanship.
“No ambition is worth anyone’s blood; if you lose, you may win in the future,” he said.
The commissioner said the police was well prepared to provide adequate security to ensure the conduct of a peaceful election.
Garba called on the political parties to forward their campaign time tables to the police for effective planning.
In his remarks, Alhaji Ibrahim Abdullahi, state Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), assured that the commission would conduct free and fair elections.
Abdullahi said the commission had displayed preliminary register of voters for claims and objections.
He said that steps had also been taken to ease voting among people living with disabilities.
The REC solicited maximum support and cooperation from stakeholders to deliver on his mandate.
The state Commandant, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Yahaya Aliyu, cautioned politicians against substance abuse.
He said that it was a major cause of political violence.
“Sensitise your members against the use of drugs during campaigns, because drugs cannot give you victory in an election,” he said.
