- UK to sanction politicians on violence
Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba, has handed over 3,980 arms, 2,358 ammunition and 1,057 cartridges recovered from criminals to the National Centre for Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons (NCCSALW).
Handing over the items to NCCSALW in Abuja, yesterday, the IGP said the small arms and light weapons were recovered by the police in various operations across the country.
The IGP was represented by Deputy Inspector-General of Police (Finance and Administration), Mohammed Dan-Malam.
He said the arms and ammunition include 265 automatic rifles, 146 pump action guns, 1,909 locally fabricated pistols, 1,500 locally made single barrel guns and 98 locally made double barrel guns.
Others were 46 general purpose machine guns, 16 locally made rocket launchers, two locally made anti-aircraft guns, seven rocket propelled grenades, 2,358 assorted ammunition and 1,057 assorted cartridges.
This came as the IGP disclosed that about 404,106 personnel from police and other security agencies would be deployed for the February 25 and March 11 elections in the country.
He said: “Nigeria Police will deploy 310,973 personnel for election security operations. This will comprise of conventional policemen, mobile policemen, special counterterrorism unit, special forces, intelligence response team and other sections of the police.
“The manpower requirement for this exercise will be complemented by the military and other security agencies. In this regard, aside the military and the Department of State Services, other security agencies will contribute a total of 93,133 personnel for the security operations.
“These include the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence, which will deploy, through the police, 51,000 personnel; the Federal Road Safety Corps, 21,000; Nigerian Correctional Service 11,336; the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, 9,447; Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, 350.”
He added: “With this layout, a minimum of, at least, two personnel, drawn from the above agencies, will be jointly deployed to man each of the polling units across the country. The armed personnel will secure the public space, INEC facilities, vulnerable locations, border areas, as well as undertake armed escort duties for INEC personnel, materials and local and international observers.
“We also expect the military to compliment this situation by providing armed protection to critical national assets, ensure that the enforcement of movements are curtailed through the blocking of exit points and entry points to various states, local governments and so forth.”
Meanwhile the British government has restated its resolve to sanction any politician found inciting violence across the country.
British High Commissioner to Nigeria, Catriona Laing, who noted this in Abuja, yesterday, said the world is watching Nigeria with regards to the general elections, hence, political parties and their candidates should be committed to the peace accord they have signed.
According to her, the British government will have its election observers in all geo-political zones of the country, and will not hesitate to sanction any politician linked to any act that is capable of derailing democratic process.
She said: “We shall be looking out for anyone who attempts to violate the electoral process. And if it is brought to our attention directly, that there are people inciting violence or engaging in hate speech, we can use our policies as tool for sanctions.”
The Guardian
