300 Suspects in Court Over Kano Bye-Election Violence 

The Kano State Police Command has charged to court no fewer than 333 suspected thugs for their alleged roles, during last weekend’s Bye-election in the state.

Police Commissioner Ibrahim Adamu Bakori in Kano disclosed the development while addressing journalists on the update of security operations in the Bagwai/Shanono and Ghari/Tsanyawa state constituencies on Monday.

According to the CP, a large influx of thugs armed with dangerous cutlasses, pump-action rifles, and locally made pistols, intended to obstruct the election, was stopped by joint security operatives.

Although the CP was silent on their political affiliation, he insisted that those arrested are being charged with disorderly conduct, possession of offensive weapons, intimidation, snatching, and destruction of election materials.

“The elections, which were conducted under challenging circumstances, witnessed attempts by unscrupulous individuals to disrupt the process through the massive importation of thugs from within and outside the state.”

“However, through the steadfast efforts of the Kano State Police Command and our partner security agencies during the election process in Ghari, Bagwai and Shanono LGAs, a total of three hundred and thirty-three (333) suspects were apprehended.”

“These suspects were arrested for disrupting the electoral process, and exhibits recovered include Pump Action Rifle, Locally Made Guns, clogs, Swords, Cutlasses and Locally Made ‘Barandami’ Weapons and four million four hundred forty-eight thousand naira (N4,048,000.00) cash.”

“All the arrested suspects have been charged in Magistrate Courts 20,27, 44 Nomansland Kano and Magistrate Courts Number 8 and 53, Gyadi-Gyadi Kano today for prosecution under various electoral offences,” CP Bakori noted.

CP Bakori revealed that the charges include criminal conspiracy, disorderly conduct, possession of offensive weapons and intimidation.

The Commissioner of Police disclosed that items recovered from the suspects include, one pump-action rifle, five locally made guns, long sticks, 94 swords, 16 Cutlasses and 18 Knives among other weapons.