Bauchi By-Election: How Police Arrest 47 Posing As Security Operatives

By Opeyemi Adelakun

The Bauchi State Police Command has arrested 47 people allegedly posing as operatives of a state-owned security outfit during the by-election in Disina State Constituency, Shira Local Government Area.

The suspects were arrested at different polling units on Saturday during the election and were allegedly found carrying firearms and other dangerous weapons.

Police Public Relations Officer, SP Nafiu Habib, disclosed this in a statement issued on Saturday.

Habib said the suspects claimed to be members of a state-owned security outfit despite an earlier directive restricting election security duties to statutorily recognised security agencies.

“Following our deployment for election duty in Disina State Constituency, Shira LGA, 47 operatives claiming to be members of a state-owned security outfit were arrested within polling units,” the statement said.

According to the police, guns, cutlasses and sticks were recovered from the suspects.

The Commissioner of Police, Sani-Omolori Aliyu, condemned the alleged violation and directed that the suspects be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) for further investigation.

“This blatant disregard for lawful directives and attempt to undermine the electoral process,” Aliyu said.

The police said the suspects were subsequently transferred to the SCID, Bauchi, for “discreet investigation and prosecution in accordance with the law.”

The command said it remained committed to maintaining a peaceful and credible electoral process, warning that anyone found attempting to disrupt the election or cause a breach of peace would face appropriate action.

The arrests followed security guidelines issued by the command ahead of the bye-elections in Disina State Constituency, Shira LGA, and Sakwa State Constituency, Zaki LGA.

In its September 18 security advisory, the command said state-owned security outfits, quasi-security agencies, private security guards and vigilante groups were not permitted to participate in election security operations.

It stated that only statutorily recognised security agencies operating under the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security were authorised to provide security for the elections.

The command also urged residents to remain law-abiding and report suspicious activities to security authorities.