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Tag: Mohammed Adamu

  • IGP orders speedy cargo clearance at ports

    The Acting Inspector-General of Police, Mr  Mohammed Adamu, has ordered the streamlining of Nigerian police operations at all the ports for speedy cargo clearance and improved efficiency.

    The order followed Adamu’s meeting with the Executive Secretary, Nigerian Shippers’ Council (NSC) Malam Hassan Bello at the Police Headquarters in Abuja.

    “Towards this end, directives aimed at streamlining police operations in and around Ports Terminals have been given to the Maritime Police Command and other formations.

    “The directives reinforce the mandate of the Assistant Inspector General of Police (Maritime) and the commissioners of police in-charge of the responsibility for police operations at all ports across the country.

    “No other Police Formations, Commands, Units or Teams by any designation are authorized to undertake any operation or investigation in and around any Nigerian Ports Terminals.

    Read also: Police rescue six year old child sold to ritualist

    “Any operations must be with the knowledge, written authorization and active involvement of the Assistant Inspector General of Police (Maritime) or the commissioners of Police in-charge of the Western and Eastern Ports Authority as the case may be,” he said.

    The acting I-G also pointed out that the stoppage of containers to clearing agents by different units in the police has also been harmonized.

    He stated that such orders would henceforth be routed through the office of the AIG (Maritime) to the Nigerian Shippers’ Council for execution.

    “The implication of this order is that the Maritime Police Command is to work in conjunction with the Shippers’ Council to ensure the actualisation of the IGP’s order.” (NAN)

  • Human trafficking, migrant smuggling threat to security, says IGP

    The Inspector General of Police, Ag. IGP Mohammed Adamu has decried the spate of human trafficking and migrant smuggling in Nigeria.

    The police boss said the menace has become a major internal security challenge that poses grave threat to the victims and the countries involved.

    The IGP disclosed in Abuja on Monday at a workshop organised by Interpol to counter trafficking in human beings and migrant smuggling in Nigeria.

    He said: “Nigeria and indeed the continent of Africa have been experiencing a surge in the menace of trans-border trafficking in persons and smuggling of migrants.

    “These illegal activities do not only pose a threat to the victims as individuals but also to the countries involved at both ends.

    “The Nigeria Police, working in collaboration with the National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons (NAPTIP) and the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS) have been at the forefront in the fight against the menace.

    “The Nigeria Police under my leadership shall continue to support the two agencies while strengthening its institutional capacity towards addressing the threat of human trafficking.”

    Speaking on present and future efforts to curb the menace, Adamu said: “The Nigeria Police raised the bar by upgrading the Anti-Human Trafficking Section of the Force with the appointment of a Commissioner of Police to head the Section.

    “In addition to this, the Police have over the years, remained faithful to the inter-agency framework of seconding police officers to NAPTIP to support and enhance their investigative and operational capacities towards attaining their anti-human trafficking mandate.

    “I can assure that these initiatives shall be sustained under my leadership as the Inspector General of Police.”

    He also promised to engage the Heads of NAPTIP and all other strategic security agencies with mandate for managing human trafficking and migrant smuggling with a view to strengthening inter-agency collaborative efforts and exploring new pathways that will advance the fight against the menace.

    “In addition, I shall continue to deploy our unique intelligence and operational assets and draw on my strong network with INTERPOL to support this initiative, just as I will also be engaging with international agencies and foreign development partners towards achieving the goals of addressing the transnational crime of human trafficking and migrants smuggling.

    “These sets of actions are essential because human trafficking and smuggling of migrants is an organized and transnational crime which requires multi-agency and multinational collaborative approach to effectively combat.”

    Speaking on the impact of the menace, the Acting Head of National Central Bureau, Deputy Commissioner of Police, DCP Lanre Bankole said the fight against the scourge has proven difficult because most victims are under serious threat and intimidation.

    He said: “Fighting human trafficking and migrant smuggling has been a challenging task because the victims were either unsuspecting tools or were subjected to some forms of intimidation and threats of violence with grave consequences to the victims. This makes it difficult for victims to come forward and seek for help.”

    On how to combat it, Bankole said: “This challenge can be mitigated through proactiuve policing of our borders, vigorous and sustained synergy among stakeholders especially intelligence gathering and sharing among other collaborative efforts.”

    The workshop had in attendance participants from the Nigeria Police, Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Customs Service, National Agency for the Prohibition of Trafficking in Persons and other relevant agencies.

  • Herbalist arrested for allegedly using human parts for money rituals

    The operatives of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu’s Intelligence Response Team (IRT) in Ogun State, have arrested a 37-year-old herbalist, Libaq Alabade, for allegedly using human parts to do money rituals.

    Some of the human parts recovered from the suspect include a severed human leg, which the IRT detectives preserved in kerosene in a plastic container, to prevent decay.

    Following a tip off by an undisclosed source, that a certain herbalist in Ajuwon community in Ifo, Ogun State, was allegedly using human parts for herbal medicine, including money rituals, the leader of the IRT team in Abuja, Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) Abba Kyari, ordered the Ogun State IRT coordinator, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), Babalola Adekunle, to fish him out.

    Adekunle subsequently led a team of detectives to arrest the herbalist in the house he built for his late wife in Ajunwon, Ifo, on February 15.

    During the mission, the team recovered human parts, including the severed leg of a female and male said to have been used for money rituals.

    Further findings revealed that Alabade owns many houses in the community, some of which are littered with shallow graves, from where he allegedly exhumes corpses to extract preferred human parts for ritual purposes.

    Reacting to his arrest, the suspect, however,  maintained that he was innocent. He said: “This is a total set up by my known enemy, a fellow herbalist, named Segun. He had once told me that he would deal with me for exposing him to the police.

    “I was doing security work as an OPC member. I used to help police to identify some of these dangerous elements in our society. Even in our association meetings, I used to emphasise these problems.

    “Segun told me that he would show me for helping the police to arrest him. Yes, I used to inform the police of their atrocities because I cherish a decent society and I have value for human lives. He just set me up.

    “I was arrested for killing people for rituals. I have not killed anybody. We have two graves in my compound. I have seven wives. Three died. I have five children.

    “My work is simple; I have medicine for ‘manpower’, that can make a man ‘strong’ for 30 minutes of sex. One goes for N2,000 – N2,500.

    “Let me advise the police. To reduce using human parts for rituals in Ogun State, they(police) should kill any suspect found with human parts after investigation had proved that the suspect really committed the offence or has the intention to commit.

    “It is true that people are wickedly murdered for money rituals but I do not do it. I was set up by my follow herbalist because I reported him to the police.”

    Sources within the police revealed that the suspect will be charged to court as soon as investigations are completed.

  • Police chief speaks tough

    •Says Tough time awaits anybody that attempt to disrupt state elections.

    The acting Inspector General of Police (IG), Mohammed Adamu spoke tough yesterday ahead of the Saturday pills.

    Adam warned those whose only interest is to disrupt the peaceful conduct of the Saturday governorship and State House of Assembly elections to stay clear of polling units.

    The security agencies he said are ready to deal with them.

    Adamu gave the warning at the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) meeting held at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja.

    He said that security agencies were ready for the Saturday elections.

    He encouraged every Nigerian to come out and cast his or her vote on the election day, while also assuring domestic and international observers and journalists adequate security during the elections.

    “The INEC staff and ad hoc staff are also encouraged to carry out their process without fear or any molestation.

    Read also: Wike: no conspiracy can defeat Rivers PDP tomorrow

    “For those that disrupted the process in some of the states during the presidential election this time is going to be tough for you. You will never get opportunity to disrupt the process again.

    “If you attempt to do that there will be consequences. It is better for you not to come out because we have seen what you done before, we have seen your mode of operandi and we are ready for it,’’ Adamu said

    The acting IG who described the Feb. 23 national election to be largely peaceful, said it was achieved as a result of effective collaboration among security agencies and INEC.

    He said that the collaboration would be improved on for the success of the Saturday state elections.

    “The security arrangement we provided for presidential and NASS elections are still in place.

    “We have reviewed what we did and we have seen areas that needed improvement. We have sat down with other security agencies and we have agreed and already put in place adequate security for the next election,’’ he said.

    On his part, the National Security Adviser (NSA), retired Maj.-Gen. Mohammed Monguno, commended the INEC Chairman and members of the commission for the successful conduct of the just concluded national elections.

    Monguno, who was represented by Sanusi Galadima, also commended security personnel for their conduct in the last elections, while expressing optimism that Saturday’s election would also be peaceful.

    Monguno disclosed that a room for the election situated in his office would open from Friday to Wednesday, with representative from all security agencies in attendance.

    All security agencies, including military and paramilitary agencies were represented at the meeting.

    In his remark, INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu assured Nigerians that the Commission “will work closely with the Police to ensure the diligent prosecution of all violators of our electoral laws. Citizens are asking for effective but non-intrusive protection before, during and immediately after the elections in which their rights are respected and their choices safeguarded.”

    He also said that the commission is looking forward to the same kind cooperation exhibited in the last elecrions with the security agencies.

    “ I am confident that lessons learnt from the Presidential and National Assembly elections will help us to more effectively secure the environment for the elections this weekend.”

    He however noted that the “ Commission is concerned that many of our materials, including ballot boxes, voting cubicles, voters’ registers and Smart Card Readers were lost to acts of hooliganism and thuggery in the elections held two weeks ago.

    “Most worrisome is the attack on electoral officials. Some of our staff were abducted and taken hostage in an attempt to disrupt elections or influence the outcome. In fact, some of the supplementary elections I referred to earlier were caused by such acts of thuggery. I am confident that working together with the security agencies, we will consolidate on the largely peaceful conduct of the Presidential and National Assembly elections while also taking decisive steps to deal with the minority of violators intent on disrupting the conduct of peaceful elections. However, the Commission will not tolerate the act of holding our officials hostage and forcing them to declare winners under duress. Where such occurs, the Commission will not reward bad behaviour by issuing them Certificates of Return.”

     

  • Polls: Steer clear of polling units, IGP warns troublemakers

    …says tough time awaits anybody that attempt to disrupt state elections

    The acting Inspector General of Police (IG), Mohammed Adamu spoke tough Thursday ahead of the Saturday polls.

    Adam warned those whose only interest is to disrupt the peaceful conduct of the Saturday governorship and State House of Assembly elections to stay clear of polling units.

    The security agencies he said are ready to deal with them.

    Adamu gave the warning at the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) meeting held at the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Abuja.

    He said that security agencies were ready for the Saturday elections.

    He encouraged every Nigerian to come out and cast his or her vote on the election day, while also assuring domestic and international observers and journalists adequate security during the elections.

    “The INEC staff and ad hoc staff are also encouraged to carry out their process without fear or any molestation.

    “For those that disrupted the process in some of the states during the presidential election this time is going to be tough for you. You will never get opportunity to disrupt the process again.

    “If you attempt to do that there will be consequences. It is better for you not to come out because we have seen what you done before, we have seen your mode of operandi and we are ready for it,’’ Adamu said

    The acting IGP, who described the Feb. 23 national election to be largely peaceful, said it was achieved as a result of effective collaboration among security agencies and INEC.

    Read Also: IGP condemns attacks on police officers

    He said that the collaboration would be improved on for the success of the Saturday state elections.

    “The security arrangement we provided for presidential and NASS elections are still in place.

    “We have reviewed what we did and we have seen areas that needed improvement. We have sat down with other security agencies and we have agreed and already put in place adequate security for the next election,’’ he said.

    On his part, the National Security Adviser (NSA), retired Maj.-Gen. Mohammed Monguno, commended the INEC Chairman and members of the commission for the successful conduct of the just concluded national elections.

    Monguno, who was represented by Sanusi Galadima, also commended security personnel for their conduct in the last elections, while expressing optimism that Saturday’s election would also be peaceful.

    Monguno disclosed that a room for the election situated in his office would open from Friday to Wednesday, with representative from all security agencies in attendance.

    All security agencies, including military and paramilitary agencies were represented at the meeting.

    In his remark, INEC Chairman, Mahmood Yakubu assured Nigerians that the Commission “will work closely with the Police to ensure the diligent prosecution of all violators of our electoral laws. Citizens are asking for effective but non-intrusive protection before, during and immediately after the elections in which their rights are respected and their choices safeguarded.”

    He also said that the commission is looking forward to the same kind cooperation exhibited in the last elections with the security agencies.

    “I am confident that lessons learnt from the Presidential and National Assembly elections will help us to more effectively secure the environment for the elections this weekend.”

    He however noted that the ” Commission is concerned that many of our materials, including ballot boxes, voting cubicles, voters’ registers and Smart Card Readers were lost to acts of hooliganism and thuggery in the elections held two weeks ago.

    “Most worrisome is the attack on electoral officials. Some of our staff were abducted and taken hostage in an attempt to disrupt elections or influence the outcome. In fact, some of the supplementary elections I referred to earlier were caused by such acts of thuggery. I am confident that working together with the security agencies, we will consolidate on the largely peaceful conduct of the Presidential and National Assembly elections while also taking decisive steps to deal with the minority of violators’ intent on disrupting the conduct of peaceful elections. However, the Commission will not tolerate the act of holding our officials hostage and forcing them to declare winners under duress. Where such occurs, the Commission will not reward bad behaviour by issuing them Certificates of Return.”

  • Breaking: IG deploys 7 DIGs, 10 AIGs, 277 CPs for gov polls

    The Inspector General of Police Ag. IGP Mohammed Adamu has deployed seven Deputy Inspectors General of Police (DIGs), ten Assistant Inspectors General of Police (AIGs) and 277 Commissioners of Police (CPs) for the governorship and State Assembly election.

    The DIGs will cover the six geo-political zone, the AIGs will cover the Zonal Command while the CPs will complement the efforts of the Commissioners of Police in 36 State Commands and the FCT.

    The DIG in charge of Operations, Abdulmajid Ali, is the Coordinator of the deployment while other DIGs will be in charge of various zones.

    They are: DIG Usman Tilli Abubakar North East; DIG Frederick Taiwo Lakanu South-South; DIG Anthony Ogbizi Michael South-East; DIG Yakubu Jubrin South-West; DIG Aminchi S. Baraya North-West and DIG Godwin C. Nwobodo North-Central.

    Read Also: Poll: IG bans use of unmarked vehicles

    With the latest deployment, each command now has additional three CPs deployed to the three senatorial districts in their respective states of assignment, which will form part of security management base for the command CPs.

    Details of the deployment are contained in a statement in Abuja on Thursday by the Force Spokesman, ACP Frank Mba.

    The Force also said based on security assessment carried out earlier, some Local Government Areas in Plateau, Benue, Imo and Taraba States have one Commissioner of Police each deployed to coordinate security in the LGAs.

    The affected LGAs in Benue are: Guma LGA, Logo LGA, Agatu LGA, Gwer East LGA, Gwer West LGA, Katsina Ala LGA, Okpokwu LGA, and Ukum LGA.

    The affected LGAs in Imo state are: Orlu LGA and Okigwe while the LGAs in Plateau states are; Langtang South LGA, Jos South LGA, Bassa LGA, Langtang North LGA, Riyom LGA, Barkin Ladi LGA.

    The affected LGAs in Taraba state are: Wukari LGA, Ibi LGA, Lao LGA, Karim Lamido LGA, Bali LGA, Kurmi LGA, Jalingo LGA, Dunga LGA, and Sardauna LGA.

    Mba also noted that Anambra, Bayelsa, Edo and Sokoto Commands have new CPs posted specifically as Command CP for the purpose of election.

    The CPs are: Anambra CP Rabiu Ladodo; Bayelsa CP Olushola David; Edo CP Dan-Mallam Mohammed and Sokoto CP Aminu Koji Kwabe.

    According to the statement, each of those deployed are expected to work with the Command CPs and ensure no stone is left unturned towards emplacing adequate security including the supervision of security personnel deployed to each of the Senatorial Districts under their watch.

    The IGP also assured that the Nigeria Police Force will remain civil, firm, optimally professional and apolitical in the discharge of their duties in the 9th March, 2019 elections.

  • Cry for justice as policewoman ‘violates’ rape victim

    •Family petitions Ambode, Police IG

    The family of a five-year-old girl, who was sexually assaulted by their landlord’s son last August, has cried out to the acting Inspector-General of Police (IG) Mohammed Adamu and Lagos State Governor Akinwunmi Ambode over the alleged secondary abuse meted out to the child by a senior police officer.

    The family is accusing the officer of inserting her hands into the private part of the minor on Monday at her office when parties to the case were invited.

    The Child Protection Network (CPN) has vowed to petition the IG and Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) Zone Two over the matter.

    The officer, the victim’s parents told The Nation, wore hand gloves, took the child into her office toilet where she laid her on the ground and they could hear her saying “remove your pant,” afterwhich she came out with the traumatised child and dismissed the medical report issued by the Mirabel Centre, Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) when the defilement occurred last year. The hospital has defended its reports as accurate.

    The distraught parents are accusing the police at Zone Two of conspiring with the suspect’s family and the police in Ikotun, to pervert justice by releasing the suspect without referring the case to court.

    It was gathered that the suspect fled after his alleged sexual assault of the minor through her anus and private part was discovered last August, but resurfaced last week and was arrested.

    Narrating their predicament to The Nation, the girl’s mother, Victoria Babatunde, 25, said the family had been threatened for refusing to drop the case against the suspect.

    She said on the day her child was raped, the landlady (the suspect’s mother) had asked her to leave her daughter with her.

    She said: “I left home early that day. I left around 7am. It was my landlady that asked that I leave my daughter with her. When I came back home around 8pm, my daughter did not say anything. It was when I wanted to bath her the following morning that she complained that her private part was paining her.

    “Then, I took her inside without completing the bath and checked her private part. It had wounds and was somehow. I asked her what happened? She asked if I was going to beat her and I said no.

    “She said it was brother Sunkanmi that pulled out her trousers and touched her private part and also removed something from his trousers and inserted it inside her private part.

    “I was shocked as I had not seen something like that before. I created awareness outside, as I went to the woman’s shop to explain to her. Mama (landlady) said they should go and swear for me, people called her a witch, that was my daughter too small that she does not know what happened to her?

    “People said I should calm down so it will not escalate, that I should take the child to a nurse in our neighborhood. Sunkanmi, the rapist, took the child to the nurse, I called my husband, he said no that I should go to the police station, which I did with my child.

    “Before I returned to the house with the officers, the mother had already told the son to flee. They took the mother, she said she did not see her son and she was given time to produce him, but she did not do so.

    “So we kept going to the station and they told us they cannot lock the woman since she was not the suspect. It has been like that since then. My husband took the matter to a radio station and newspaper with the suspect’s picture.

    “So, last week, my husband was called that they have seen the suspect and he has been caught. We went to the station and they told us to write a statement, which we did. Instead of charging the boy to court, they told us that Zone Two called for transfer of the case.

    Read also: Three ‘abduct, rape teenager for four days’

    “We were taken to Zone Two and they told us to come on Monday; we did. they later said we should come on Friday last week and we did.

    “They said they want to see the doctor’s report. The Child Protection activist who went with us told them that Mirabel Centre has established penetration and that it was in the casefile which was sent to them from Ikotun. The policewoman, after asking my daughter questions before everyone, said what happened in the open, she did not believe.

    “She also did not believe the medical report from Mirabel Centre. She sent for gloves and when it was brought, she took my daughter into her toilet and we could hear her voice telling the child to pull her pant. When my daughter came out, we asked what happened in there and she said the policewoman put her back down and touched her private part two times.

    “The policewoman said the girl was intact, that she wants to see the nurse who treated her at first and the nurse said she cannot come with the report. She said we had to go to the police hospital to do another test. What I do not know is whether the policewoman was supposed to subject my child to that kind of torture again? I do not know if she is a doctor and why she would say we should go to police hospital to do another check-up, eight months after the incident.

    “It is painful because the boy and his mother already boasted that we cannot do anything and the police have proved them right. He has been released and has been threatening us since Monday. We are not even safe that is why we are crying out for help. We need justice for our daughter.”

    The victim’s stepfather, Ahmed Babatunde, 32, said the landlady’s son brought three boys who beat him up for taking up the matter, adding that they threatened to kill him and his family.

    He said he refused when he was told by the Investigating Police Officer (IPO), Mariam, that the case will be transferred to Zone Two and requested it be charged to court instead.

    Babatunde said the police initially charged him N1,000 to file the case in court, adding that he was asked to provide money with which they will pick up the child.

    “Then in the morning, they said I had to hire taxi and I refused to do that. I asked them what police vehicle was meant for. I did not know their plan was to take us to Zone Two instead. When I realised they were not going to court, I told them to open the door, they refused and I started screaming ‘Ole’ (thief) so they stopped in front of the station.

    “The police operatives ran inside. The Inspector who works with Mariam said they should lock me up.

    “The woman’s eldest child  brought in three guys and I was beaten and injured. They said I will regret ever taking up the matter, that they will kill all my family and there is nothing we can do.

    “After our experience at the Zone Two on Monday, we left. We have been in hiding since then. Surprisingly, when I went to the compound to pick my cloth that was torn the day I was beaten on Tuesday morning, I saw Sunkanmi and he assaulted me. It means the police only wanted to free him and they have done so. We want justice for our daughter.

    “It is justice we are asking for. We do not have money and we do not know anyone, but we believe that God will touch the heart of the governor and those in power so that the right thing is done in this case.”

    The Mirabel Centre has defended its report on the matter.

    Doctors who frowned at the continuous questioning of the girl and her exposure to secondary abuse  said actions like that would imprint the rape in her mind and further traumatise her.

    The suspect was not available for comments. His elder sister, Bukky Williams, said the matter had been charged to court and declined comments on it.

    She said: “In the first place, how did you get my number? I am not reacting. When did you hear that? (referring to allegations of rape and assault against her younger brother).

    “This issue has been charged to Eko court. I do not know when it was charged. I do not know if he was released on bail, because we do not live together. Ask the person who gave you my number to give you my mother’s or tell you where they are because we do not live together.”

    Efforts to get the policewoman’s comments failed, so her name was not mentioned.

     

  • Police uncover plot to use covered number plate for electoral fraud

    The Nigeria Police Force has uncovered plot to use covered number plate during the governorship and State Assembly elections to commit electoral fraud.

    The Police said the intelligence report at its disposal shows that covered number plates may be used before, during and after the election to commit electoral offences and other crimes.

    To curb the act, Inspector-General of Police, Ag. IGP Mohammed Adamu banned with immediate effect the use of covered Vehicle Number Plates by all unauthorized users across the country.

    Asides the threat to the polls, the IGP also noted that covering of vehicle number plate amounts to clear breach of the Road Traffic Act and other relevant laws of the land.

    Adamu also warned any security personnel found escorting their principal with an unmarked vehicle or those with masked vehicle number plates will be arrested and dealt with accordingly.

    Read Also: Police arrest one-chance robbers

    This is contained in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday by the Force Spokesman, ACP Frank Mba.

    The statement reads: “The IGP gave this order on Tuesday, 5th March, 2019, following intelligence report that the unwholesome practice may be deployed by some unscrupulous persons to aid the commission of electoral related offences before, during and after the Saturday, 9th March, 2019 Gubernatorial/House of Assembly elections.

    “Apart from the above immediate possible threats to the polls, the IGP also noted that the covering of Vehicle Number Plate amounts to a clear breach of the Road Traffic Act and other relevant laws of the land.

    “In addition, the act could also impact negatively on national security and safety and has the capacity to; heighten criminal activities, engender atmosphere of lawlessness, shield perpetrators of crime and place unnecessary pressure on security agencies in their routine crime prevention and monitoring tasks.”

    The IG also directed all Assistant Inspectors General of Police (AIGs) and Commissioners of Police (CPs) in the Zonal and State Commands to strictly enforce the restriction order at their various Areas of Responsibilities (AOR) and to ensure that all defaulters are dealt with according to the law.

  • IGP bans covered vehicle number plates

    The Inspector-General of Police, Ag. IGP Mohammed Adamu has banned the use of covered Vehicle Number Plates by all unauthorized users across the country.

    The order which is with immediate effect came following intelligence report that covered number plates may be used to commit electoral offences.

    Asides the threat to the polls, the IGP also noted that covering of vehicle number plate amounts to clear breach of the Road Traffic Act and other relevant laws of the land.

    The IGP also warned that any security personnel found escorting their principal with an unmarked vehicle or those with masked vehicle number plates will be arrested and dealt with accordingly.

    This is contained in a statement in Abuja on Tuesday by the Force Spokesman, ACP Frank Mba.

    The statement reads: “The IGP gave this order on Tuesday, 5th March, 2019, following intelligence report that the unwholesome practice may be deployed by some unscrupulous persons to aid the commission of electoral related offences before, during and after the Saturday, 9th March, 2019 Gubernatorial/House of Assembly elections.

    Read Also: Guber polls: IGP warns would-be troublemakers

    “Apart from the above immediate possible threats to the polls, the IGP also noted that the covering of Vehicle Number Plate amounts to a clear breach of the Road Traffic Act and other relevant laws of the land.

    “In addition, the act could also impact negatively on national security and safety and has the capacity to; heighten criminal activities, engender atmosphere of lawlessness, shield perpetrators of crime and place unnecessary pressure on security agencies in their routine crime prevention and monitoring tasks.”

    The IG also directed all Assistant Inspectors General of Police (AIGs) and Commissioners of Police (CPs) in the Zonal and State Commands to strictly enforce the restriction order at their various Areas of Responsibilities (AOR) and to ensure that all defaulters are dealt with according to the law.

  • Guber polls: IGP warns would-be troublemakers

    The Acting Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, on Tuesday warned would-be troublemakers for the next Saturday’s governorship and State Houses of Assembly elections to have a rethink.

    According to him, security arrangement across the country has been enhanced to deal ruthlessly with thugs and trouble makers.

    He spoke with State House correspondents at the end of security chiefs’ meeting with President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.

    He also said that security personnel have been increased for trouble spots identified during the Presidential and National Assembly elections.

    Congratulating all Nigerians for the general peaceful conduct of the Presidential and National Assembly elections, IGP urged Nigerians to come out and vote next Saturday.

    He said “We are all aware of the fact that we just concluded the presidential and National Assembly elections and we want to congratulate Nigerians for the peaceful conduct of the elections and we are prepared now for the governorship and the House of Assembly elections in the country.

    “We’ll like every Nigerian to come out and cast his or her vote. The security arrangement we provided during the presidential elections is being enhanced so as to provide enabling environment for everybody to come out and cast his or her vote for their preferred candidates.

    “We will again advise those that will want to disrupt the process to rethink because during the presidential election, we had some few challenges here and there, those challenges, we’ll not allow those challenges to repeat themselves. We are taking more security measures to address those pockets of challenges we noticed.

    “So, thuggery again, is not allowed, ballot snatching is not allowed, disruption of the election process is not allowed. We, the security personnel have resolved to deal ruthlessly with anybody that attempts to disrupt the process of this election.

    “For that reason, we expect, every states, the conduct of the election should be respected. We expect that electoral materials must not be tempered with; we expect that the INEC officials would do their work without fear or favour and without being allowed to compromise. The same thing, the security personnel are to perform their duties without allowing themselves to be compromised.

    “So, we have heightened the security arrangement to make sure that the election goes without any hitch.” he stated

    Asked if the police made any arrest of hoodlums disrupting the Presidential and National Assembly elections, he said “We’ve made a number of arrest all over the country but probably we shall come out with the number of arrest we have made in terms of those that disputed the process of the election in some areas within the country. We’ve a lot of arrest.”

    On the special effort being put in place to ensure peaceful election in the trouble spots in the country, he said “Virtually, in Bayelsa and there are other states within that zone that we have taken notice of the fact that people there prone to violence so we have increased the number of security personnel that have been posted there.

    “Also, we have increased intelligent outfit that has been posted there so as to help us identify those people that are trying to cause problem so that we can take them out of the environment before they cause the problem. Therefore, there is increase in security personnel.

    On the allegation of militarization of the process by security agencies, he said “Well, as I said before, everybody, the lives of Nigerians are secured in terms of provision of adequate security to come out and vote. If you judge what you have said with the report of the international observers and local observers, you will see that both the local and international observers have adjudged the process to be peaceful.

    “So pocket of challenges you get here and there did not affect the peaceful conduct of the elections. The process was peaceful and credible.”

    Asked when those arrested would be prosecuted, Mohammed Adamu said “Investigation is ongoing. There is an investigative team that has been setup headed by the Commissioner of Police in-charge of legal, they are compiling the case files, they are investigating them. At the end of the investigation, the police in liaising with INEC will prosecute them.”

    Asked the superiority of police or other security agencies at Polling Units, he said “Well, there is no superiority in terms of security agencies. We only talk of the role but when it comes to internal security, it is the police that is the lead agency other security agencies support the police in terms of internal security.”

    Those at the meeting included the Chief of Defence Staff, General Gabriel Olonishakin, Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Yusuf Buratai, Chief of Naval Staff, Ibok-Ete IIbas, and Chief of Air Staff, Air Marshal Sadiq Abubakar.

    Also present at the meeting were the National Security Adviser, Major Gen. Babagana Monguno, Director of National Intelligence Agency, the Director General, Department of Security Service.

    The Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dangazzau and the Minister of Defence, Mansur Dan-Ali were also at the meeting.