PAUL ORUDE, BAUCHI
Bauchi State Police command has denied alleged planned arrest of the PDP gubernatorial candidate, Senator Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir.
The PDP Chairman in the state Hamza Akuyam, had alleged that information at their disposal revealed a plan to cause confusion in the election that would lead to the arrest of Senator Mohammed and place him under house arrest until the gubernatorial and State Assembly elections coming up tomorrow is over.
The state Police Commissioner, Ali Aji Janga, said that the allegation was baseless and unfounded
He said: “How can we arrest a candidate standing election for doing nothing? The command does not have that plan; all we want is peaceful conduct of the election, even more, peaceful than the last one.”
Janga who addressed journalists on the preparations of the command for the election disclosed that a total of over 5,000 personnel would be deployed to all the 20 local government areas of the state.
He added that the command would operate in conjunction with other sister-security agencies to maintain law and order before, during and after the elections.
He, therefore, warned private security agencies including vigilance groups, local hunters and the likes to steer clear of the polling areas, declaring that it was not their responsibility to do so just as he warned VIPs not to go to the polling areas with their security details.
On the complaints by politicians on the operational style of the Rapid Response Squad (RRS) in the state, the police commissioner said that every state had such outfits, saying however, that the complaints were more because of the political situation now, assuring that “I will investigate all the complaints and take appropriate action on the squad.”
He further explained that the RRS was formed with the aim of fighting crimes and criminality saying, “as far as I am concerned, the RRS in the state is doing well despite the little shortcomings which will be addressed. If anyone has a complaint against the outfit, such a person should officially forward it to me and necessary actions will be taken.”
Janga added that as from 12 midnight all movements would be restricted but only people on essential duties, observers both domestic and international and electorate would be allowed to move around with adequate police cover just as he called on the people to be peaceful and law abiding.
On the arrests of suspected political thugs so far made, the police commissioner explained that some of them had been investigated and charged to court warning that more arrests would be made to forestall any breakdown of law and order in the state while calling on politicians not to be involved in acts of thuggery or any violent conduct.
He also disclosed that 24 people were arrested, an aftermath of the violence that greeted the electoral victory of President Muhammadu Buhari, adding that all those arrested would be properly investigated and charged in accordance with the laws of the country.
He added that all political flashpoints had been identified across the state and special security attention would be taken to ensure that there was no problem in those areas. He appealed to members of the public to immediately notify the command of any eventualities noticed during the conduct of the elections.
It would be recalled that the state chapter of the PDP had alleged that there was a grand plan to arrest its gubernatorial candidate, Senator Bala Mohammed Abdulkadir and place him under house arrest until after the elections.