Sokoto PDP Accuses IGP Of Setting Up Special Unit To Arrest Opposition Party Members

BY VICTOR BUORO, ABUJA – The Sokoto State chapter of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), has accused the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris of establishing a Special Squad to arrest members of the public known to opposing the All Progressive Congress (APC) and the federal government.

The PDP which stated this at a press conference in Sokoto on Sunday, further said that it can no longer continue to bear the unwarranted and incessant harassment, intimidation, molestation, unlawful arrest and detention of its members and supporters without arraignment before any court of law for weeks as most of the incidences have turned out to be.

The Sokoto State Publicity Secretary of the party, Hon Abdullahi Yusuf Hausawa told journalists that the PDP has lost confidence and trust in the Nigeria Police that has become so partisan and a unit of the APC.

In the words of Hausawa; “This is because from all indications they have become partisan, segregative and partial by dancing to the tune of the ruling party, the All Progressive Congress (APC) only and playing their cards at will.

“Imagine the Nigerian Police coming all the way from Abuja, the FCT to Sokoto with just no mission other than that of illegal apprehension of our members, who were transferred to Abuja without charging them for committing any offence after staying in incarceration and unpleasurable confinement for more than a week.

“The Police use of force to suppress the opposition in Sokoto state through incessant arrests and detentions has become so alarming in the state. The Police have now turned into tools of suppression, persecution and fear instilling in the people of our dear state.

“The use of Special Anti-armed Robbery Squad (SARS) to operate in commando style of arresting  and detaining  our supporters for two weeks without trial or taking them to court is against the rule of law and due process.

“We will like to remind the IGP that, we will not refrain from our firm stand to ensure justice and fairness to our teeming party supporters without fear of any intimidation or persecution from the sponsors of campaign of calumny against our party, the personality of our Governor and the good people of Sokoto state.”

The PDP therefore vowed to use all constitutional and legal avenues to fight for the rights of its members through freedom of association, political expression and movement.

It said; “No amount of intimidation and harassment can frighten and deter us from working very hard to realize our electoral plans of ensuring that all our candidates for the 2019 polls are successful.

“We are saying so, because we have heard in clear terms, that President Muhammadu Buhari has promised fairness, equality and justice among all Nigerians without fear or favour, affection or ill will, different from the acts of victimization and injustice being perpetrated by the Police.”

The PDP noted with sadness that while citizens, particularly its supporters are being robbed and attacked daily by some group of sponsored and covered miscreants around the state capital, the Police now turned into partisan lot by refusing to arrest or prevent such criminals instead have become tools of intimidation and persecution of innocent peace oriented people.

Hausawa also said; “Due to their partisanship, we can reasonably say that some of the Policemen in the state are collaborating with these criminals to inflict fear into the minds of innocent peace loving people of Sokoto state. 

“It is very disheartening that the Nigeria Police is turning into an appendage of destruction and tension infliction; and that they have been used by the APC leadership through the former Governor of Sokoto state, who is a serving Senator to intimidate our teeming supporters after his failure in misleading the people of Sokoto that he is the people alpha and omega.

“He is so desperate in ensuring that he creates political turmoil and tension in the state by using the office of the IGP to do his bidding. The Police here in Sokoto state have not been impartial on several instances.

“Just few days ago, it was reported that, the IGP has approved the bidding of APC in Sokoto state through the transfer of one of the hatchet men of former Governor Aliyu Magatakarda Wamakko from Kano to head the Mobile Police unit known as MOPOL 7 in Sokoto.

“The officer in question who is an indigene of Sokoto state has served previously as a Chief Security Officer (CSO) to the then Governor Wamakko during his eight years tenure, He was allegedly part of the Police officers accused of unleashing terror through the sponsorship of miscreants to attack and arrest supporters of the opposition parties then.

“Such display of acts of impunity and abuse of law was a very common issue under the watchful eyes of the then former governor Wamakko in Sokoto state.

“Therefore, the party in the state and our teeming supporters as law abiding citizens can no longer fold our arms and watch as the Police are arbitrarily arresting and framing up criminal charges against our innocent and helpless peaceful party supporters.”

Hausawa tendered copies of letters sent to the Police as complaints over the rampant cases of attacks and threats against PDP supporters and its offices, adding that the party is ready to use every legal available means to fight back and ensure justice to all its members in order to promote peaceful co-existence, cohesion and overall development in the state and the nation in general.