THE Kano State Police Command has arrested some thugs allegedly hired to disrupt the re-run election in the Kunchi Local Government Area of the state.
The state Commissioner of Police, Usaini Gumel, who did not disclose the exact number of thugs arrested while speaking with newsmen on Saturday, February 3, said the suspects were allegedly hired by a politician contesting in the election.
According to him, the thugs were arrested around the Kunchi/Tsanyawa area, where a rerun election was taking place.
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“We saw a truck that was faulty by the roadside. We saw people in large numbers by the roadside. At first, they gave us the impression that it was the fuel of the vehicle that was finished. But upon close observation, we saw them in possession of arms.
“One Abdulrazaq Muhammad aka Mai Salati, from Kano Municipal, told us one man who is contesting in the area invited them over.
“We will get the man to know if he is truly a candidate contesting and why he invited them to the area. We suspect they are in the bush to lay ambush on the electoral officers while on their way with the election results,” Gumel said
The ICIR, in a video post shared by Channels Television, observed that one of the thugs arrested alleged that a lawmaker, representing the All Progressive Congress (APC), sent them to disrupt the elections.
He said the politician hired them to help him protect his votes, adding that others who participated in the election hired thugs for similar purpose.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: [email protected]. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M