Usman Baba, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), has accused some state governors of contributing to the rise in political violence in the nation.
This was said by Mr. Baba on Thursday in Abuja during a meeting with the heads of political parties and other stakeholders.
In a recent meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Electoral Security (ICCES), Babagana Monguno, the national security adviser, revealed that 52 instances of electoral violence had occurred in 22 states in the country during that month.
According to Mr. Monguno, President Muhammadu Buhari has authorized the security services to take decisive action against anyone or any organization attempting to thwart the peaceful conduct of the general election.
Mr. Baba stated on Thursday that the conference was held to educate the leadership of the political parties on the rising trend of political violence and to present a united front in tackling the concerns.
We have heard rumors that some state governors support political goons.
They deploy sub-national security organizations that are under their influence to obstruct the smooth and legally required campaigning of political parties or candidates that they disagree with.
“In doing so, they use their influence and position to either stop the installation of campaign billboards or take them down.
In violation of the Electoral Act of 2022 (as modified), he added, “They also deny political opponents facilities to conduct their campaigns or peaceful political congregations.”
The IGP attributed the majority of violent occurrences to political extremism, false information, intolerance, incorrect political orientation, hate speech, incitement, and strategic actors’ desperation.
He claims that these individuals typically mislead their party supporters, equip them, refocus them, and encourage them to use threats, violence, and other illegal tactics to thwart rival political parties.
According to him, political violence in any way, shape, or expression is illegal under the country’s current criminal legislation as well as the election act.
According to Mr. Baba, the Nigeria Police and other security services would continue to be required by law to take enforcement actions to reestablish order within the political and national security institutions.
At political rallies or any other political engagement, he promised to take proactive measures to identify, isolate, detain, and bring any political actor and their thugs to account.
“We have also decided to take aggressive measures to thwart specific attacks against INEC assets throughout the nation.
As security agencies and political actors, he stated, “This is a siren call for us all to speak out with one voice in condemning political violence.”
According to Mr. Baba, political party leaders play a crucial role in eradicating political intolerance, intimidation, violence, and other detrimental tendencies in democratic processes.
He claimed that this was so because they were the tactical gatekeepers of our democracy, whose actions or inactions had a ripple impact on others who followed them.
The IGP urged political party leaders to be resolute in displaying the proper leadership qualities and openly separating themselves from acts of political brigandage and violence.
(NAN)
