781 electoral offenders have been arrested and prosecuted in connection with electoral offences during the conduct of Presidential, Governorship, National and State assemblies elections held on February 25th and March 18th, 2023 respectively in Kano.
Nigeriacrime.com gathered that most of the offenders that were arrested, tried and convicted so far for electoral offences were foot soldiers while threatening
The Commissioner of Police, CP Muhammed Usaini Gumel said the offenders were prosecuted to serve as a deterrent against individuals and organizations whose violations of the electoral laws are undermining the constitution and threatening the nation’s democracy.
CP Gumel noted that most of the offenders arrested, tried and convicted so far for electoral offences were foot soldiers while threatening to also arrest and punish the sponsors.
According to him, “It’s in the record of the Nigeria Police Force that a total of 489 major electoral infractions occurred during the February 25 and March 18 rounds of elections, leading to the arrest of 781 offenders and the recovery of 66 assorted firearms. The summary indicates that a total of 185 major electoral offences were reported during the presidential and National Assembly elections with 203 arrests made and 18 firearms recovered. Similarly, a total of 304 electoral offences were recorded during the governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections, with a total number of 578 arrests recorded and 48 firearms recovered. This included 161 suspects in Kano State.
“It is on the foregoing that all police commands have been directed by IGP to collaborate with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in ensuring that all these electoral offenders are expeditiously and transparently prosecuted not only in the interest of criminal justice delivery but in furtherance of the vision of the NPF to sanitize the country’s democratic space.
“The State Police of this Command is by this development committed to the implementation of this system of vigorous prosecution and punishment of all electoral offenders arrested and investigated during the last elections. This is to serve as a deterrent to others and help build confidence in our elections. During this upcoming supplementary election that is going to hold in some parts of the State, not only foot soldiers would be arrested and punished, but all those who sponsor thugs.
“In Furtherance, Electoral Tribunal has been set up in all 36 States and FCT and the police are committed to efforts towards mitigating electoral malfeasance with more arrests, prosecution and sanctioning of the ‘mother spiders’ to end their reign of impunity. Because most of those arrested tried and convicted so far for electoral offences are foot soldiers rather than the sponsors of electoral violence and other violations, many political elites have engaged in or supported violence in their bid to illegally shape the outcome of contests.
“In light of the foregoing, the Police hierarchy directed all the Commands Commissioners to collaborate with INEC in the prosecution of all electoral offences. This is to serve as deterrence and effective enforcement against individuals and organizations whose violations of the electoral laws are undermining the Constitution and threatening our democracy,” he said.
The Police Commissioner however called on the politicians not to only shun violence during the supplementary polls but caution their members who might want to engage in any form of violence.
“It is expected that this time politicians and all the relevant stakeholders in our electoral processes will be on the same page with the Police and other relevant security agencies by upholding their pledges of being transparent, peaceful and as well as playing politics in accordance with the rules. They must not only shun violence but also ostracize their members who might want to engage in any form of violence. We must collectively and at individual levels also educate our youths on the dangers of allowing themselves to be used by desperate individuals,” CP Gumel stated.
On the other hand, the Assistant Inspector General of Police, AIG, Ibrahim Kaoje said the police and other security agencies will discharge their duties strictly based on professionalism with zero tolerance for unethical conduct, corrupt practices and rights violations.