Bisola David
Sen. Rabiu Kwankwaso’s followers have been detained by Department of State Services agents for allegedly instigating violence in Kano State. Sen. Kwankwaso is the presidential candidate for the New Nigeria People’s Party.
Prior to the March 18 gubernatorial and State Assembly elections, the secret police has also sent its top detectives to neighboring states in the union to find any politicians bent on instigating violence.
The secret police’s spokesman, Peter Afunanya, who made the announcement Thursday morning, revealed that the two suspects, Sharu Abubakar Tabula and Isma’il Iliyasu Mangu, were found after they both recorded inciting comments that they disseminated on various social media platforms.
According to Afunanya, while the Service informs the public of this planned illegal activity, it urges the concerned party to put it on hold right away or prepare to suffer the repercussions.
“They specifically promoted certain political interests in those potentially harmful messages and directly called on their supporters to violently attack those opposed to them, including security personnel, during the 18th March 2023 Governorship and House of Assembly election in the State,” he continued.
“A certain political group in Kano has promised to organize a protest march in the city and to occupy the headquarters of several security agencies on March 16, 2023, in support of the suspects as a result of this incident.”
The DSS official emphasized that misguided individuals or groups that threaten the state’s safety will not be allowed to go unchecked by the secret police.
He claimed that the leadership of the aforementioned party should discipline its members and implore them to refrain from actions that could destabilize law and order in Kano and the surrounding area before, during, and after the scheduled election.
He went on to say, “The Service is working with sister security organizations in the meantime to guarantee that sufficient security is offered for a successful election exercise.
“Similar subversive individuals who threatened violence in other States of the Federation were recently apprehended by the service in addition to Kano. Recall that on March 8, 2023, it urged politicians to engage in constructive dialogue and shun violence, fake news and hate speech.”
He urged the political actors to adhere to the law and spirit of the electoral Act and guidelines and added that everyone is urged to actively support the maintenance of peace and democracy in Nigeria.
