The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, has accused some state governors of sponsoring political thugs against their rivals to incite violence.
OsunDaily News reports that Baba made the accusation during a meeting with the chairmen of political parties at the Force headquarters in Abuja, on Thursday.
The IGP said the governors arm political thugs, re-orient them and encourage them to resort to the use of threat, violence, and other extra-legal means to frustrate competing political parties.
He added that the governors encourage political thugs and sub-national security outfits under their control to disrupt campaign rallies of opposition parties or candidates.
Baba also accused them of preventing the mounting of campaign billboards of their rivals, while also denying political opponents of spaces to organise their campaigns in contravention of the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022
He, therefore, vowed to take decisive lawful action against purveyors of hate speech, incitement to violence, mobilisation of thugs, and other violations.
He said: “Political violence manifests in three forms. First is violence that is targeted at the personnel and assets of the Independent National Electoral Commission as recently witnessed in Ogun and Osun states.
“The second form of political violence manifests in the form of inter-party intolerance and violence which often become particularly pronounced during campaigns, elections and post-elections phases.
“It is on record that not less than 52 cases of such politically-motivated, intra, and inter-party violence have been recorded across 22 states since the official commencement of campaigns for the 2023 general election on 28th September 2022.
“The last form of political violence relates to the conduct of some state governors who manifest traits of political intolerance which often inflame political tension. In this regard, we have been receiving reports of some state governors who encourage political thugs and sub-national security outfits under their control to disrupt seamless and statutorily guaranteed campaign activities of parties or candidates with whom they hold opposing political views.
“In so doing, they deploy their powers and influences to either prevent the mounting of campaign billboards or pull them down, while also denying political opponents of spaces to undertake their campaigns or peaceful political congregations in contravention of the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 (As amended).’’
