IGP echoes Gov Uzodinma, accuses politicians, prominent Nigerians over attacks on INEC

Usman Baba, the Inspector General of Police, has said that recent assaults on INEC officers and facilities across the nation are the result of collusion between politicians and other well-known individuals.

The IG made this claim on Friday when he testified before the House of Representatives ad hoc committee looking into attacks on INEC assets nationwide.

The Imo State governor had also stated recently that the attacks on INEC facilities in his state and the south-east region was being masterminded by politicians in opposition camps.

IG Baba was represented by the Deputy Inspector-General, Department of Operations, Dandaura Mustapha.

He stated, “Whatever happens, it is the duty of the police to protect here and there.

“The failed politicians are those who could not come back through any political party, and as far as they are concerned, let everything spoil, let everything scatter. They are using that opportunity to sponsor illiterate followers of the parties and hoodlums to make sure that this general election does not hold and should not be successful.”

The IG also pointed out that the Nigeria Police Force, as the leading agency in internal security and elections generally, was always on the receiving end.

“The campaigns commenced and what we realised initially was inter and intra-party disputes. We realised that members of political parties were destroying billboards, posters and campaign offices in some parts of the states. We quickly alerted the commissioners of police in charge of the commands and gave them a clear directive that it is the right of every political party to go to all the nooks and crannies of society and campaign. It is a constitutional right, so on no account does a state governor or any state actor should prevent political parties from moving about to do their campaigns.

“We now come to the immediate attacks on INEC facilities. Of recent, the ones that took place in Osun and Ogun, then last week in Ebonyi, Imo and Enugu; it is a well known fact that in the South-East geopolitical zone, we have issues of secessionists – the IPOB and ESN. These groups are bent on stopping elections from taking place in the South-East. They have been attacking our personnel; they have been retrieving arms from members of the security agencies, not only the police but the military and other paramilitary organisations that are there. They have been doing it, especially now that the embargo on campaigns has been lifted.

“The election is approaching very fast and they are putting much pressure to see that this election does not hold in the South-East geopolitical zone.

“In the South-West, we equally have the pro-Yoruba secessionists that are equally bent on seceding and not allowing election to take place in their areas, hence the attack on INEC in Osun and Ogun of recent. Those ones are also sponsored by politicians and other stakeholders,” the IG explained.

The offices of the commission have been attacked in the states of Osun, Ogun, Ebonyi, Imo, and Anambra over the last few months.

A number of times, arsonists set fire to the buildings, and occasionally, armed persons would attack the staff.

The lower chamber decided last week to look into attacks following a motion made by Kunle Olanrewaju (APC, Ekiti). As a result, Speaker Femi Gbajabiamila established an ad hoc committee to look into the attacks.

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