The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has barred the Amotekun Corps and Vigilante groups from involvement in the upcoming Ondo governorship election.

In a statement issued on Sunday, Force spokesperson Muyiwa Adejobi outlined the deployment of specialized police units for election security.

According to the statement, these units include the Special Intervention Squad, Police Mobile Force, and Counter-Terrorism Unit.

He stated that aerial surveillance will be conducted with police helicopters, and gunboats will patrol Ondo’s waterways and riverine areas to enhance security across diverse terrains.

Adejobi said, “As the Ondo State Gubernatorial Election, scheduled for November 16, 2024, draws near, the Inspector-General of Police has unequivocally assured the public of the Nigeria Police Force’s unwavering readiness to ensure a peaceful and orderly election process across all 18 Local Government Areas, 203 Wards, and 3,933 Polling Units in the state.”

He added that “comprehensive plans have been set in motion” to secure a smooth election process, including deploying adequate personnel, resources, and advanced equipment.

The deployment will see officers from various specialised units, including the Special Intervention Squad, Police Mobile Force, Counter-Terrorism Unit, Special Protection Unit, Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit, K-9 Unit, Federal Investigation and Intelligence Response Team, and Federal Intelligence and Security Task Force working in collaboration with other security agencies,” Adejobi noted. “These agencies will strictly follow the guidelines of the Electoral Act, 2022, ensuring that all measures taken align with the principles of fairness, transparency, and order.”

He further explained that police helicopters would carry out aerial patrols, and gunboats would monitor waterways to deter any attempts to disrupt the election.

Adejobi also noted the IG’s stern warning against any attempts to incite violence.

He said, “The IGP has also issued a stern warning to political thugs and any individuals or groups who may contemplate acts of violence or disruption before, during, or after the election: they will face the full force of the law. The message is clear — those who attempt to jeopardise the peace and security of the state will not go unpunished.”

Only federal security agencies and members of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security will be authorized to participate.

Furthermore, the IGP reaffirmed the established guidelines governing election security management in Nigeria, stressing that no quasi-security organisation, including state-backed groups like Vigilante Corps or Amotekun, will be permitted to participate in the election process,” Adejobi stated.

He added, “The security of this election is a responsibility entrusted solely to the Nigeria Police Force and other federal security agencies, along with the broader membership of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security.

“The Nigeria Police Force, in collaboration with other federal security agencies, remains committed, vigilant, and fully prepared to ensure that the Ondo State Gubernatorial Election proceeds smoothly, without incident, and by the highest standards of electoral integrity.”

By Salisu Baso

The member representing Rimin Gado/Tofa in the Kano State House of Assembly and the Deputy Speaker has cried out about some unpatriotic citizens in the state going to rural areas and seizing farmland from local communities to allocate plots in the name of government authorities.

The member, therefore, called on the state assembly to draw the government’s attention to take appropriate measures as the unpatriotic elements are tarnishing the image of the government. The Speaker, who responded to the appeal, directed the joint house committee of Land and Physical Planning as well as Public Petitions to investigate the unknown authorities before legislative action, adding that this is not only in Tofa but also in some parts of the state.

According to the petition letter sent by the people of Dansudu, Unguwar Rimi, and Wangara in Tofa Local Government Area, they called on the state assembly to come to their rescue.

The letter tabled before the house was read by the Majority Leader, Hon. Lawan Hussain, representing Dala Constituency, and the member representing Ungogo, Hon. Aminu Saad, seconded the motion. They were given two weeks to report back to the house.

Briefing journalists after the parliament session, the member representing Rimin Gado/Tofa Constituency and Deputy Speaker, Hon. Muhammad Bello Butu Butu, expressed displeasure with the attitude of some unpatriotic elements using the government to seize farmland from farmers and share plots without the government’s knowledge or community leaders.

He said about 160 farmlands have been seized by unauthorized people, neither the Ministry of Land and Physical Planning nor the communities have been informed.

Hon. Butu Butu further said the same incident has happened in the local government, with the Ministry of Land and Physical Planning taking over the farms and allocating plots without developing the lands, while the people have not been allowed to harvest.

He, therefore, said the people of the areas are law-abiding communities and are ready to support the government in developmental initiatives. He called on the state government and the ministry to allow the communities to utilize the lands.

The member also urged the government to monitor some people parading themselves as government officials visiting markets and places collecting revenue without its knowledge, citing an example with Janguza market in Rimin Gado Local Government Area.

President Bola Ahmed Tinubu will depart Abuja on Sunday for Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, to attend the Joint Arab-Islamic Summit, which will focus on the current situation in the Middle East.

The Summit will commence on Monday, November 11, 2024.

It is being held at the invitation of King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and follows last year’s summit in the same Saudi city.

During the summit, President Tinubu is expected to address the ongoing Israel-Palestinian conflict, emphasising Nigeria’s strong call for an immediate ceasefire and the urgent need for a peaceful resolution.

Nigeria will also advocate for renewed efforts to revive the two-state solution as a pathway to lasting peace in the region.

In a statement by Special adviser to the President on information and strategy Bayo Onanuga said key officials including the minister of foreign affairs, Ambassador Yusuf Tuggar, will accompany the President. Other members of the entourage are the National Security Adviser, Mallam Nuhu Ribadu; Minister of Information and National Orientation, Alhaji Mohammed Idris; and the Director General of the National Intelligence Agency (NIA), Amb. Mohammed Mohammed.