Seven days after the Inter – Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) held an emergency security meeting on Election processes in the country, the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, Thursday met with leaders of the 18 political parties warning them that security agencies will now bark and bite.

IGP Baba left none of the politicians in doubt that enough was enough as the Director General of National Intelligence Agency, (NIA)Ahmed Rufai, representative of the DG of Department of State Services, the military and a National Commissioner of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Barr. May Agbamuche -Mbo were also in attendance.

The meeting which held at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, was convened to discuss with the political class on the need to avoid electoral violence before, during and after the 2023 elections. It was attended by the leadership or the representatives of the 18 registered political parties in the country.

Speaking before the meeting went into a closed door, IGP Baba said the meeting became expedient following a noticeable trend within “the national political space which, if not promptly addressed could evolve into a potent threat to not just our national security but the electoral process. He urged the party leaders to show leadership and good virtue by discouraging their members from acts of brigandage.

“Political violence manifests in three forms. First is violence that is targeted at the personnel and assets of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as recently witnessed in Ogun and Osun States.

“The second form of political violence manifests in form of inter-party intolerance and violence which often become particularly pronounced during campaigns, elections, and post-elections phases.

“It is on record that not less than fifty-two (52) cases of such politically-motivated, intra, and inter-party violence have been recorded across 22 states since the official commencement of campaigns for the 2023 General Elections on 28th September, 2022.”
Security agencies and the Independent National Electoral Commission had risen from an emergency security meeting on Friday 11th November,2022 resolved to summon a meeting of all political parties, candidates and other critical stakeholders to reiterate the imperative of peaceful campaign and the enforcement measures to be taken against offenders.

The meeting resolved that a joint security and safety Team would be deployed to all INEC assets and facilities nationwide forthwith. “The team will include among others the Police, Army, DSS, Civil Defence and the Federal Fire Service.

In addition, decisive lawful action shall be taken against purveyors of hate speech, incitement to violence, mobilization of thugs and other violations including the prompt arrest, investigation, and prosecution of offenders in line with section 92 &93 of the Electoral Act 2022.

Those already arrested according to the statement issued by Maj. General Modi bbo Alkali, (rtd.) National Commissioner and Chairman, Security Committee, INEC, “will face prosecution immediately while security agencies will upscale intelligence gathering, sharing and utilisation of same to stem further sabotage.

Today’s meeting was attended amongst others by the Peoples Democratic Party was led bySen. Iyorchia Ayu,Omoyele Sowore of the African Action Congress and the national organising secretary, the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) Suleiman Arugungu represented the party among other party leaders present.

Police Arraigns One in Oyo State for Destruction of Billboards

As the meeting was holding in Abuja, the Oyo State Command of the Nigeria Police Force on arraigned the Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee of the Park Management System (PMS), Alhaji Mukaila Lamidi, (aka Auxilliary), before a Magistrate Court sitting in the Ibadan Northeast Local Government Area of the state for destruction of billboards.

Auxilliary, 61, according to court papers was arraigned on six counts bordering on conspiracy, malicious damage and conduct likely to cause breach of peace.He was accused of conspiring with others now at large to damage the All Progressives Congress (APC) billboards bearing the pictures of its presidential candidate, governorship candidate and House of Representatives candidate in Igboora, Ibarapa Central Local Government, valued at N1.2 million, and the billboards bearing the pictures of APC House of Representative candidate, Engr. Aderemi Oseni, valued at N3 million.

The charge sheet reads:“That you MUKAILA LAMIDI ‘M’ and others now at large, on the 13th day of November, 2022, about 6:50pm, at Igboora in the Igboora Magisterial district triable in the Ibadan North East Magisterial district did Conspire with one another to commit an offence to wit: Malicious damage and Conduct likely to cause breach of the peace and thereby committed an offence contrary to and punishable under Section 517 of the Criminal Code, Cap 38, Vol. II, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000.

“That you MUKAILA LAMIDI ‘M’ and others now at large, on the same, date and time in the aforementioned Magisterial district did willfully and unlawfully damage APC Political Party Bill Boards bearing the pictures of APC Presidential Candidate, Gubernatorial Candidate and House of Representative Candidate valued One Million, Two Hundred Thousand Naira (N1,200,000:00) property of Oyo State APC represented by Hon. Isaac Omodewu Ajiboye ‘m’ and thereby committed an offence Contrary to and punishable under Section 451 of the Criminal Code, Cap 38, Vol. II, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000.

“That you MUKAILA LAMIDI ‘M’ and others now at large, on the same, date and time in the aforementioned Magisterial district did conduct yourselves in a manner likely to cause breach of the peace by destroying APC Political Party Bill Boards bearing the pictures of APC Presidential Candidate, Gubernatorial Candidate and House of Representative Candidate and thereby committed an offence Contrary to and punishable under Section 249(d) of the Criminal Code, Cap 38, Vol. II, Laws of Oyo State of Nigeria, 2000.