The Nasarawa State Police Command has announced the arrest of 17 suspected political thugs ahead of the recently concluded general elections in the state. The suspects were apprehended with arms and ammunition, including weapons that were imported from neighboring states such as Imo and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
This operation was a significant achievement for the police as it prevented the intended disruption of the elections by these suspects.
The State Commander’s Public Relations Officer, Ramhan Nansel, stated that some of the suspects were brought in from Imo and the FCT with the aim of causing chaos during the elections.
This is in line with the Commissioner of Police’s earlier warning about certain political elements in the state who planned to import thugs with the intent of causing a breach of peace during the elections. The arrests of these suspects prevented any breach of peace, thereby safeguarding the integrity of the electoral process.
Despite the warning from the Commissioner of Police, certain criminal elements still tried to infiltrate the state through its borders. A Toyota pickup vehicle and a Toyota Siena bus loaded with suspected political thugs were intercepted by the military in Umaisha, Toto local government area of the state on the eve of the elections. A thorough search was conducted, and weapons, mobile phones, unregistered vehicles, bulletproof jackets, and boots were discovered.
The suspects have been identified as Aaron Samson, Tijani Jemba, Abdulahi Salihu, Usman Abubakar, Abdulahi Usman, Mohammed Abdulahi, Babangida Mohammed Kasimu A. Danladi, Saidu A. Suleiman, Salihu Abdulkareem, Shamsudeen Abubakar, Usman Murtala, Mohammed Sule, Huseini Elhag, James Emeka, Idris Abdullazeez, and Ibrahim Alhassan. The suspects are currently being investigated by the Criminal Investigation Department of the Command and will be charged to court upon completion of the investigation.
The arrest of these suspects by the Nasarawa State Police Command sends a strong message to any individual or group planning to disrupt the electoral process in the state. It also highlights the commitment of the police to maintaining law and order during the elections. The successful operation should serve as a deterrent to others who may want to engage in any form of electoral malpractice in the future.