The Kano State Police Command has banned protests by political parties and their supporters following mounting tension over alleged financial inducement of the Kano Election Petition Tribunal.
The Commissioner of Police, Usuani Gumel, announced the ban at a news conference at the command headquarters on Monday in Kano.
“In consideration of the confirmatory intelligence products at the disposal of this police command, all forms of street protests are hereby banned across all parts of the state,” Mr Gumel announced.
The chairman of the State and House of Representatives Election Petition Tribunal sitting in Kano, Justice Flora Azinge, raised the alarm over the alleged attempt to obstruct the cause of justice with financial inducement.
Justice Azinge, who did not disclose the identity of the individual trying to bribe the panel, accused some senior lawyers arguing their petitions before the court of unwholesome moves to corrupt the system.
The commissioner, therefore, warned supporters of the All Progressive Congress (APC) and the New Nigeria People’s Party (NNPP) to desist from all forms of protests without clearance from the police.
“Members of the public should therefore note that it has come to our knowledge that both the APC and the NNPP members are currently mobilising rented crowd in the guise of Civil Society Coalition, and without clearance from the leadership of the Nigeria Labour Congress and prior approval from the security agencies in the state.
“Both organisers, as well as the umbrella body, should note that any attempt to disrespect NLC and the security agencies in the state by playing around the fragile security situation, which the combined security agencies have been managing, is not only uncivil, criminal but also an offence against national security.
“Checks have so far been conducted by this police command, and It’s revealing that some members of both two political parties who are influencing the members of the Civil Society to embark on this decision is merely as a result of their apprehensions and to pre-empt the judgement of the election tribunal,” Mr Gumel said.
The commissioner warned that the command would arrest and prosecute defaulters.
(NAN)
