Plateau State Governor Lalong
The Plateau State Commissioner of Police, Andie Undie, has said the police would use all its constitutional means to crack down on any sponsor of political thugs before and after Local Government elections in the state.
Mr Undie vowed to deal with politicians who hide under the banner of religion or ethnicity to achieve their political interest and cause trouble in the state.
The police chief made this known on Friday at the Police Officers’ Mess during a joint security meeting with all security heads, religious and other stakeholders ahead of upcoming state local government election slated for October 10.
The local government poll was postponed thrice due to the insecurity bedevilling the state before it was finally rescheduled to hold on Wednesday.
Despite the current security challenges, the state authority have vowed to conduct the elections, saying it has the capacity to deal with politicians and other miscreants troubling the state.
Last week, more than 30 people were reportedly killed in various communities across the state.
But the state government had attributed the current insecurity to some individuals in the state who instigate people to cause crisis for political interest.
In an effort to ensure smooth running of the exercise, the state police chief said there would be no sacred cow in the crackdown on criminal elements.
“The police will deal with any body found sponsoring thugs before and after the local council election,” Mr Undie said.
“The police and other security agencies will not involve or participate in anything that has to do with vote buying during the council elections. It is not our duty. Our duty is to secure the process. The remaining thing is left for the politicians.
“I want to assure you that no security personnel will ignite crisis. I call on politicians to watch their actions and play the game by rules.
“We won’t also allow religious or ethnic politics. Nobody should use religious or ethnic politics for political gain. The issue of religion should be out of it,” the commissioner said.
He further emphasised that whoever is found instigating crisis or mobilizing people for criminality would not go free.
“We shall bring to book, whoever commits crisis, during and after the elections. Nobody will be exempted,” Mr Undie said. (Premium Times)
