…threatens withdrawal from peace accord

By Bashir Bello

With less than a week to the 2023 general elections, the Kano State chapter of the New Nigeria People’s Party, NNPP has on Sunday called on the Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba to as a matter of urgency redeploy the Kano State Commissioner of Police, CP Mamman Dauda for peace to reign and peaceful polls in the state.

The party accused the Police Commissioner for alleged connivance with the ruling party and Governor Abdullahi Umar Ganduje to undermine the election and plunge the state into avoidable violence.

Addressing newsmen on the unfolding development in the state, a Chieftain of the party and flag bearer of Kano North Senatorial seat, Dr. Abdullahi Baffa Bichi who spoke on behalf of other critical party stakeholders said if the Police Commissioner, the Governor were not called to order it will be forced to withdraw it signature from the peace accord facilitated by the police in the state.

According to Bichi, “At this critical time, any responsible government will be concerned with the fragile security situation as Nigeria heads to the 2023 polls in the next few days. We wish to appreciate the stand of President Muhammadu Buhari, on his resolve to conduct credible elections through provision of level playing ground for all candidates across all the 18 political parties in Nigeria.

“Unfortunately, the Nigeria Police Command in Kano under CP Mamman Dauda is working deliberately and in cahoot with the Ganduje administration in Kano to subvert the elections. This, they are doing through a number of ways.

“Permit me to outline some of the unfortunate and grossly unprofessional actions and inaction of the police commissioner which convinced our party that he is working with Governor Ganduje to undermine the election and plunge our dear state into avoidable violence.

“Indiscriminate arrest, unlawful detention and framing up of leaders and stakeholders of the NNPP. We are aware that the Ganduje government has directed local government chairmen to generate list of all important NNPP stakeholders in their localities. We are also aware that the list has been given to the CP and he has already directed DPOs to swing into action.

“Over one hundred of our members have so far been illegally arrested and are being unlawfully detained at the police headquarters. We are also aware that all our Senatorial candidates, all our House of Representatives candidates and majority of our State Assembly candidates as well as our party Chairman and senior party activists are all included in the evil list of the CP and Governor Ganduje.

“The police commissioner is working with the State Attorney General to frame charges of attempted murder on all our members in their custody. This is evil. This injustice is as incomprehensible as it is reprehensible.

“The CP has also directed all DPOs not to accept any complaints letter from our party. All the previous complaints that we have written to the CP and to all DPOs were not acted upon. While every spurious complain from the APC is acted upon by the CP with promptness.

“It is also evident that the Kano Police Command, beside ignoring our complaints, is also deliberately disregarding court orders and judgement in favour of our party. A few examples will prove this: One of our leaders, Hon. Muhuyi Magaji Rimingado who has a subsisting court judgement is still being hunted by the Police in Kano simply because Ganduje has instructed them to arrest him. There are two subsisting court orders requesting the Police Commissioner to arrest and arraign the Chairman of the APC for threatening the lives of some of our members. But the CP has turned deaf ears to the court orders.

“It is unbelievable that the CP, in broad daylight, has turned the Kano Command into an arm of the APC campaign council. This is evidences in the fact that Nigeria police are opening campaigning for the APC across the State. Vehicles of the Kano Police Command are carrying the names and emblems of the APC candidates in many Local Governments in the State. This is a recipe for serious crisis. Nigeria Police in Kano can no longer pretend to be an unbiased law enforcement agency. They are partisan. They are working day and night for the APC. The good people of Kano State can no longer stomach the complicity of the Nigeria Police and their unprofessional conduct in Kano State.

“We in the NNPP are law-abiding, peace-loving and deeply patriotic Nigerians. Our love for peace and respect for the law must not be misunderstood as docility. We can no longer tolerate the very unprofessional, partisan and grossly unfair and unjust behaviour of the Kano CP. Consequently, we wish to call on the IGP, the Police Service Commission, the Minister of Police Affairs and the President of the Federation to intervene and save Kano State from drifting into anarchy.

“We urge the authorities concerned to ensure the prompt removal of the CP and the unconditional release of all our members that are being illegally detained.

“We wish to unequivocally state that the NNPP is giving all the authorities concerned a notice of 24 hours to release all our members, stop harassing our members and leaders, and direct the Kano Police command to stop campaigning for the APC. At the expiring of the 24 hours notice, we will lead all our members to a peaceful protest across all the 44 LGAs in the state. By this, we notified the police and DSS to provide security cover for the protest.

“We wish to clearly state that our party and all its candidates are considering a withdrawal from the already signed Peace Accord facilitated by the National Peace Committee if the CP, Governor Ganduje and their cahoots are not properly call to order to allow the peaceful conduct of 2023 elections in Kano State,” Bichi however stated.

When contacted, the spokesperson of the command, SP Abdullahi Haruna said during it recent raid, it has arrested over 300 political thugs across all political parties in the state saying the NNPP were only crying foul play simply because their plan to use the thugs during the polls were foiled.