Police Arraign 333 Suspects Over Kano Rerun, By-election Violence

The Kano State Police Command has arraigned 333 suspects before various Magistrate Courts in Kano metropolis for electoral offences committed during the last Saturday’s re-run election and by-election in Ghari/Tsanyawa and Bagwai/Shanono State constituencies, respectively.

Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, who disclosed this at a press conference on Monday, said the suspects were arrested for disrupting the electoral process.

He explained that the charges filed before Magistrate Courts in Nomansland and Gyadi-Gyadi areas include, “Criminal conspiracy, Disorderly conduct, Possession of offensive weapons, Intimidation, Loitering without lawful excuse after voting or being refused to vote, Snatching or destruction of election materials, Improper use of vehicles, Solicitation for votes of another voter on election day, etc.”

Exhibits recovered from the suspects included one pump-action rifle, five locally-made guns, 94 sticks, 16 swords, 18 cutlasses, 32 locally-made ‘barandami’ weapons, 18 knives, a bow and 23 arrows, as well as 14 vehicles, two ballot boxes, 163 thumb-printed ballot papers, and over ₦4.million cash.

CP Bakori noted that the elections were marred by attempts to import thugs from within and outside the state but commended the efforts of security agencies under the Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) for containing the violence.

He urged Kano residents to remain law-abiding, cooperate with security agencies, and see security as a collective responsibility, stressing that the Police Command will continue to protect the integrity of democratic process.