The Kano police command in Kano has arrested 333 armed thugs for disrupting and causing violence during the by-election that took place last Saturday in Ghari, Bagwai and Shanono local government areas.
The Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, revealed this to newsmen in Kano at a special news briefing on Monday.
He described the election, saying it took place under challenging circumstances that witnessed attempts by unscrupulous individuals to disrupt the process through the importation of armed thugs from within and outside the state.
“However, through the steadfast efforts of the Kano Police Command and our partner security agencies under the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), we were able to contain some of these threats.
“During the election process in Ghari, Bagwai and Shanono local government areas, a total of 333 suspects were apprehended”, he stated.
He explained further that the suspects were arrested for disrupting the electoral process with arms, including guns, cutlasses and also ballot boxes, thumb-printed ballot papers, and N4.05 million cash.
The police have since charged the suspects in the Magistrate Court in Kano with charges including Criminal conspiracy, possession of offensive weapons, intimidation, snatching or destruction of election materials, as well as soliciting for votes on election day, among other charges.
The Commissioner further expressed his command’s commitment to ensuring justice is duly served and those who plan to disrupt the democratic process are held accountable.
“I would like to take this opportunity to commend the combined security agencies for their dedication, commitment and selfless service during this challenging electoral period.
“Their professionalism and coordinated efforts were instrumental in containing the violence from spreading further and helped to safeguard the voters, election officials and the general public”, he added.
