By Abdallah el-Kurebe
As insecurity has beleaguered the nation’s polity, threatening every facet of the citizens’ national life, so has thuggery been to the Sokoto political atmosphere. Everywhere has been charged and virtually everyone, apprehensive.

One fact is that every political party, especially the major ones and most especially the PDP and the ANPP have groomed political thugs or so, each make claims against the other.

Political party offices, especially of both the All Nigeria Peoples Party and the Peoples Democratic Party have been attacked, vandalized by sponsored thugs of either parties.

During campaigns and rallies,  the youths were seen brandishing cutlasses, swords, axes, sticks and all manner of weapons. These weapons were sometimes easily used on opponent political thugs.

Arrests were made by the police but that did not deter the thugs from unleashing further terror when eventually released.

Even though the state government has unveiled appreciable youth acquisition programmes aimed at engaging the youth thereby removing them from the streets and making self employed, most of the youth have not availed themselves from the benefits of these programmes.

Drug influence

What has been identified as the reason for political thuggery in Sokoto as in others states of the federation where this is practiced is the influence of hard drugs. At political rallies, these are freely used where the security agencies and the officials of National Drug Law Enforcement Agency cannot help but watch.

Security agencies’ meetings with political parties

More often than not, in fact as frequent as possible, the security agencies – the Police, Department of State Security, Nigeria Security and Civil Defense Corps and other paramilitary agencies have had to convene meetings with leaders of political parties in the State with a view to seeking out ways of conducting peaceful electioneering. These meetings have always ended with perceived understanding of the need but have always hardly been adhered to by the supporting thugs of the political parties.

CPC’s Magaji Gusau’s comment

At one of such meetings, which was held at the Police Officers’ Mess along Maiduguri Road, the deputy governorship candidate of the Congress for Progressive Change, CPC, Alhaji Ibrahim Magaji Gusau accused security agencies in the state of doing the bidding of the ruling PDP. The same allegation was repeated at a press conference that the Sokoto state Commissioner of Police, Baba Adisa Bolanta was not only biased but also has sympathy of the PDP.

At the press conference, Gusau said: “We do not need a police commissioner who is a politician; we do not need a AC CID who is a politician; we need a police commissioner, who will do his job without fear or favour. The Sokoto state commissioner of police is partial and biased and unless he becomes impartial, I don’t think there would be a free and fair election in the state.”

He also expressed his doubts about the ability of the police to rid the state of hooligans otherwise known as area boys. “Contrary to the pledge by the CP during a meeting with political parties that any thug arrested would be charged for armed robbery, no thug has been arrested so far.”

The allegation, which was specially directed at the police, was immediately refuted by Commissioner of Police, Adisa Baba Bolanta. “Gusau cannot intimidate or blackmail us to do what is outside our constitutional duty. Our job is to provide security and this is what we are doing. His allegation is just a curious one made to arouse unnecessary attention or sympathy. I advise him to concentrate on his political activities and to stop undermining the police,” Bolanta had responded.

Sultan’s lamentation of political thuggery

Worried by the prevalence of political thuggery in Sokoto, which has taken a destructive trend where innocent persons were attacked for reasons of political difference, the Sultan of Sokoto, Alhaji Sa’ad Abubakar, during a courtesy visit by the Acting Governor, Lawali Zayyana, called on politicians to discourage political thuggery that has overtaken the tolerable political atmosphere that existed in Sokoto state.

“The use of thugs at political rallies and campaigns should be discouraged. This does not augur well for the well being of this state and the nation at large. Government and security agencies should work together to ensure peaceful electioneering in this state,” the worried Sultan begged the Acting Governor.

Knowing that it is not the role of the government and security agencies alone to rid the society of this menace, the Sultan told the direct repository of supporters from which thugs emanate – the political leaders – to have the fear of God by guarding against violence. “Politicians should learn from the evolving events and fear God. Of all the candidates that are aspiring to govern the state, only one will win. So, if you encourage violence, you will tear Sokoto apart. Campaigns should be conducted in a peaceful manner.”

For the Sultan to have noticed that politicians were using thugs at electioneering campaigns and political rallies in Sokoto state is an indication that the menace has grown so uncontrollably.

INEC Chairman’s comment

There is growing fear that the gubernatorial election in the State might be marred by political violence if not checked. The Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Attahiru Jega registered his apprehension over the wave of political thuggery in Sokoto during a meeting with leaders and candidates of political parties, including Security Chiefs on Wednesday.

“We have apprehension in Sokoto. Our apprehension is about youths who are going about with all types of weapons. This might affect the peaceful conduct of election here. I urge you officials and candidates of political parties to call the youths to order. Please, advice your supporters on the need for the conduct of peaceful election on Saturday. The Security agencies cannot do it alone. It is only with your cooperation that peaceful election can be achieved,” Jega had said.

Free, fair and credible election

With political thuggery taking its toll in Sokoto state even before today’s elections, what could exacerbate the problem is if INEC and security agencies go back on their promises to conduct free, fair and credible election, today.

At an interactive meeting, attended by heads of all the security agencies in the state, INEC officials and the leadership of the various political parties  in the state, the politicians received assurances both from INEC and security Chiefs that they would be provided with level-playing ground for today’s gubernatorial election.

The Sokoto State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Alhaji Husseini Mahuta  promised that INEC was disposed to the provision of a level playing ground for all political parties and that it “is always a neutral umpire and as the regulator of the nation’s electoral processes, the Commission should be seen to be doing just that if peaceful conduct of the election is to be expected”.

The INEC Chairman also assured that today’s guber election in Sokoto would be one of the best. “We conducted free and fair election in Kogi state; we did the same in Adamawa and Bayelsa states and the one in Sokoto will be the best,” Jega promised.

In the same vein, speaking in turns at the same meeting on Wednesday, the Heads of the various security agencies in the state assured that they were committed to the provision of securing during today’s election in the State.

They however warned the political parties and their candidates to deemphasize the use of thugs and violence in all its ramifications,” before, during and after the election.

At the occasion, some leaders of political parties underscored the need for the conduct free and fair poll and, in specifics, urged INEC and the security agencies to treat all political parties equally and that all offenders, regardless of which political parties they belonged, should be punished.

True to it, no one is happy with the wave of political thuggery in Sokoto state, especially for the fact that in spite of the skills acquisition programme of the government, Wamakko administration does not seem to have done something meaningful to stop it.

Again, in spite of the Police assurances that they would treat weapon-carrying supporters of all political parties, these youths still go about freely with these dreaded weapons, in fact, in the watchful eyes of the security agencies. This is worrying and maybe who knows, until somebody ‘upstairs’ comes down to Sokoto to the work.

Like the Sultan said, both politicians and all stakeholders should fear God. Blood is being let and properties are being destroyed, all in the name of electioneering.