By Bashir Bello, Kano

The Kano State Commissioner of Police, CP Mohammed Usaini Gumel, said on Wednesday that vigilantes, Hisbah, and all other state-controlled security outfits won’t be deployed for the conduct of February 3rd, 2024, re-run elections in three constituency seats of the Kano State House of Assembly.

Gumel made this known while addressing newsmen shortly after an emergency meeting of the Kano Election Security Committee on preparation for the conduct of elections in the state.

The Police Commissioner, who doubles as the Co-Chairman of the committee, said security matters during the election rest solely on the shoulders of personnel of the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies (federal agencies), with the exemption of the state-controlled security outfits.

He added that plans were underway to work hand in hand with the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, EFCC and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, ICPC, to curb issues of vote-buying during the election.

According to him, “Be aware that we are not going to deploy personnel that are not members of the Nigerian Police Force and major security agencies in this election. The vigilante or security agencies that are not federal agencies recognised by the law will not take part in providing security during the election.

“This is just to ensure the security of the election by relying on the police authority and other security agencies recognised by the law.

“With this, we are assuring you that the election will be hitch-free like it has happened in the past. We have done it before. We have the capacity, manpower, and resources. So with this, I will say we are good to go.

“On issues of vote buying, we are going to work together with EFCC and ICPC,” CP Gumel, however, stated.

Earlier, the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner in Kano, Amb. Abdu Zango, who expressed the readiness of the commission, vowed to conduct free, fair, and credible elections in the state.

He called on the electorate to troop out en masse to exercise their franchise, as adequate security measures have been put in place to ensure hitch-free elections.

Recall that the INEC has fixed February 3rd, 2024, for the conduct of re-run elections in the Kunchi/Tsanyawa constituency, Kira/Garun Mallam constituency, and Tofa/Rimingado constituency of the Kano State House of Assembly.

Vanguard News