Opeoluwa Awodugba

 

 

The Sokoto State police command says it has arrested about 79 suspects for various electoral offences during the governorship and house of assembly elections in the state.

 

 

The command’s spokesman, DSP Sanusi Abubakar in a statement released to newsmen in sokoto, the State capital disclosed that those arrest were persons that violated the movement restriction order and other offences that contravened the Electoral Act.

 

 

He said during the elections, cases of vote buying, destruction of ballot boxes, thuggery, threats and inciting public disturbances at polling units among others were reported adding that the perpetrators have been arrested and will be charged to court.

 

The statement reads in part “All the electoral offenses among them were fully investigated and transferred to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for prosecution, while others that contravened the penal code have been charged to court by the Police.

 

DSP Abubakar added that there are others that are still under investigation.

 

Speaking on the forthcoming supplementary election in the state, the command warned that all elements of insecurity and lawlessness will not be spared before, during and after the supplementary election.

Acting on credible Intelligence, the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps’ Special Intelligence Squad (CG’s SIS) in a clandestine operations, arrested two syndicates alleged to be involved in offences ranging from criminal conspiracy, cheating, obtaining by trick (OBT) and production/distribution of counterfeited US Dollars (USD) and new Naira notes into the society.

One of the groups arrested which consisted of four male adults were caught in possession of fake sixty-four thousand, eight hundred US dollars ($64,800) and four hundred and seventy-five thousand naira (N475,000) notes, while fake notes of N1.5m was also seized from the second group consisting of five male adults

The names of members of the syndicate arrested with the sum of N1.5m are ; Dantala Omale, ‘M’, 30yrs, Plateau State, Musa Abdullahi, ‘M’ 24yrs, Plateau state, Audu Abdulazeez, ‘M’, 56yrs, Gombe State, Umar Hassan ‘M’, 46yrs, plateau state and Mahammadu Badaru Yakubu ‘M’ 30yrs, Nasarawa State.

The arrest was effected when one Dantala Omale was lured to Nasarawa from Plateau state and picked up by the squad on the 22nd of February, 2023, with fake new naira notes of N412,000.

The arrested suspect confessed getting the fake notes from Musa Abdullahi, AKA Baballe which led to the arrest of Abdullahi on 22nd of February, 2023 at Namu area of Quanpan LGA in Plateau state in possession of N49,650 old naira notes.

After a thorough interrogation, Abdullahi confessed that he usually gets his supply of fake currencies from one Audu Abdulazeez, AKA Dan-Gombe, who the squad arrested on the 3rd of March 2023, at Plateau Express service motor park in Jos, Plateau State, at about 11:20 a.m with N350,000 fake newly redesigned Naira notes.

The effort of the squad to arrest all members of the syndicate paid off when Abdulazeez confessed to giving one Umar Hassan the fake notes. When Hassan was apprehended, he was in possession of N20,500 and he also confessed to his involvement in the crime and that he regularly transact with one Mohammadu Badaru Yakubu, who was also arrested close to the old CBN office in lafia town, at about 3:10 p.m on March 5, 2023 with fake N2000 of the new Naira notes.

Further investigation however, revealed that the group operated within and around Plateau, Nasarawa, Bauchi & Gombe states.

Members of the second syndicate arrested with the exhibits of $64,800 and N475,000 are; Jonathan Dakogol, Abbas Ibrahim, Isa Ukashatu and Aminu Isa.

Isa Ukashatu and Jonathan Dakogol were arrested with fake $64,800 and N475,000 at Akurba of Lafia LGA, in Nasarawa State after being lured to deliver the money to a client.

Upon arrest, Dakogol volunteered and led the CG’S SIS operatives to Kurgwi area in Quaan’Pan LGA, Plateau State, where one Aminu Isa who was alleged to be a herbalist was also arrested.

Isa also led the Squad to the arrest of one 62 years old Abbas Ibrahim in Quaan’Pan LGA, Plateau State who had collected $30,000 fake US Dollars from him.

All suspects at the point of arrest were found in possession of fake dollars and the newly redesigned Naira notes ranging from N500 to N1000 denominations respectively and had also confessed to being involved in the business for over five years.

The Commandant General, Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, mni, OFR, commended the CG’s SIS for a job well done and described the criminal gangs as economic saboteurs destroying the country through the perpetration of financial crimes and defrauding of innocent citizens.

He stated that their arrest is a good omen for the country because it helped to stop the distribution and influx of fake currencies into society which could have caused great setbacks to the economy.

He charged the squad leader, DCC Appollos Dandaura, and his team to intensify efforts for more arrests by launching their dragnet further into every nook and cranny of the country in order to fish out other dangerous criminal elements and syndicates perpetrating heinous financial crimes at the detriment of the nation.

He warned all criminal syndicates to desist from this venture and get other legitimate means of survival or face the wrath of the law because NSCDC and other security agencies will fish them out no matter their hiding places.

The arrested suspects are still assisting the Corps with useful information for further investigation and would be handed over to the appropriate authority for prosecution after the preliminary investigation is concluded. Meanwhile, a manhunt has been launched for other fleeing members of the syndicates.

“We are working in synergy with INEC, NPF, other security agencies, the media an all relevant institutions and stakeholders involved, in the electioneering process in Lagos state …, Alfadarai said.”

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps ( NSCDC ), Lagos State Command, today, Friday, 24th February, 2023, reassures Lagosians, of its commitment, towards ensuring peaceful and conducive atmosphere, devoid of crimes and criminalities that could lead to the break down of law and order or the vandalization of Critical National Assets and Infrastructure ( CNAI ), during this year’s, 2023 general elections, in the state.

The Command has also further deployed a total of three thousand six hundred and forty ( 3,640 ) officers and men to the various strategic fields ; such as the offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission ( INEC ), collation centres various polling units, locations and points across the state .

However, the Command is also not resting on its oars, in the protection of critical national assets and infrastructure such as; oil and gas pipelines, telecommunication, railway installations and power installations, buildings and offices, amidst many others belonging to the Federal, State and Local Governments.

The above tactical deployments were being drawn, from various departments and units, such as; Operation, Intelligence and Investigation, Anti – Vandal, Armed Squad, CNAI, Chemical Biological Radiological Nuclear and Explosives ( CBRNE ) Unit, Area Commands and Divisions, Quick Intervention Squad ( QIS ), Special Female Squad ( SFS ), Agro – Rangers, Crisis and Disaster Management, Counter – Terrorism, Peace and Conflict Management and Anti – Human Trafficking and Illegal Migration Unit, ( ATHIMU ) et ce tera.

The NSCDC, Lagos State Commandant, Commandant of Corps Usman Ishaq Alfadarai, fdc, mnim, mpa, fisn, however, said, “in a bid to ensuring, free, fair, credible and peaceful conduct of the presidential and national assembly elections, scheduled to take place tomorrow, Saturday, 25th February, 2023, the Command has trained and retrained its personnel on election monitoring and security, through several workshops organized by INEC and other relevant local and international bodies saddled with the peaceful conduct of the process. Therefore, the personnel will bring all these electoral principles and knowledge, in tandem with international best practices to bear in their conduct and practice during and after the elections.”

In the same vein, some delegates of the International Republican Institute ( IRI ) and the National Democratic Institute ( NDI ), who are both non – profit, non – partisan organizations working to support and strengthen democratic institutions worldwide, especially, during elections also visited the office of the State Commandant, NSCDC, Lagos State Command.

The team, who visited the Command included; Mrs Zainab Unu Moseray, Mrs Olga Frivazovska, from Ukraine and Mr Bamidele Ojuyenum. The team requested to know about the preparedness of the Corps towards the elections in delivering quality security services during and after the process.

The observer team of IRI and NDI was received, by Deputy Commandant of Corps Sulaiman Oloyede, in charge of Intelligence and investigation, Superintendent of Corps Aliyu Jamilu and Deputy Superintendent of Corps Abolurin Oluwaseun, Command’s Public Relations Officer.

Finally, on behalf of the State Commandant, CC Usman Ishaq Alfadarai, the Command’s team also seized the opportunity of the visit to assure the visiting observer team of its readiness to ensure the smooth conduct of the election, through media sensitization of the public, regular meetings with stakeholders, synergetic co – ordination, with the lead agency in election security, the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies in the Interagency Consultative Committee on Election Security ( ICCES ), chaired by the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner and co – chaired, by the Commissioner of Police in the state.

The channels of communication have also been opened to the public, through the public relations unit and the crisis and disaster management department of the Command. The social media handles of the Command, Area Commands, Divisions and outposts are also readily prepared to receive urgent information that requires quick response and intervention from the Command. The Command has also instituted special monitoring teams headed by Deputy Commandants of Corps to supervise different Senatorial Districts and Area Commands and Divisions under the general supervision of the State Commandant during and after the elections.

“We are working in synergy, with INEC, NPF, other security agencies, the media and all relevant institutions and stakeholders involved, in the electioneering process, with respect for human rights and privileges of all citizens, accredited voters and the good people of the state during the entire process, from accreditation, to voting, collation of results and post election security, Alfadarai said.”