Olakunle Maruf – Sokoto
The Nigerian Police Force, Sokoto State command has launched a special legal team to handle all electoral offences relating to 2023 general elections in the state.
The Commissioner for Police in the state, CP Muhammad Usaini Gummel, stated this while presenting the team to newsmen at the police headquarters in the State on Monday.
The special team consists of skillful personnel with mandate to receive, vet, and compile complaints, investigate and bring to justice those found involved in perpetrating wrongful conduct, before, during and after the elections.
He said the team comprises Police lawyers, forensic investigation crackers and experts with a specialty in conducting evidence-based investigations, interrogation and technology-driven prosecution processes for the courts to right the wrongs diligently.
The team is led by AC-SCID leader ACP Yakubu Isah, the Legal/Prosecution unit among other senior police officers.
The decision according to the commissioner came to the fore as a result of the police command’s desire to address the concerns raised by members of the public regarding the best way to go in search of quicker means of the dispensation of justice vis-a-vis, the expected roles of the police being the gate of criminal justice delivery, especially at this time when critical Electioneering processes are heating-up.
“On the foregoing, the police command is calling on members of the public in particular the political class to take note and warn their followers about the need to shun violence and similar intended actions as an option for resolving their grievances on any form of perceived injustices before, during and after the ongoing general elections.
“Also, to note that the Police and other relevant security agencies in the state is already working in collaboration with INEC Legal Team alongside Federal and the State Directorates of Public Prosecutions (DPPs) for the desired legal advice going forward”
In furtherance, the police command is hereby drawing the attention of members of the public particularly politicians in the state to consider that national interest, love and survival of its people are overriding individual or groups’ political interests and that violence should not be used in any form as means of resolving grievances arising from any part of this 2023 general elections.
More so, members of the public are informed about the doors of the Nigeria Police Force in Sokoto, especially this committee which is domiciled at the police headquarters will remain open to receiving such complaints and that they should refrain from acts such as streets protests that could sometimes lead to wanton destruction of private lives and public property resulting from violent actions by those engaging on venting anger or celebrating victories especially during and after the general elections.
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