Kano police declare ex-commissioner wanted for over alleged electoral offence

Tuesday, April 14, 2015

Jimi Agbaje ~ Olalekan Oladeinde

Kano - The Police in Kano have declared wanted a former Commissioner in the state, Alhaji Musa Iliyasu, for allegedly sponsoring thugs to disrupt last Saturday’s Governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections.

Iliyasu allegedly disrupted the polls at Kauran Mata Ward in Madobi Local Government Area of the state.

The Police Commissioner, Mr Ibrahim Idris, disclosed this while briefing newsmen in Kano on Tuesday.

Iliyasu was a commissioner of Rural and Community Development during the administration of Malam Ibrahim Shekarau in the state.

He said the command declared the suspect wanted along with four others who were still at large following the arrest of 14 others who mentioned the name of Iliyasu as their sponsor.

“The suspects were arrested for snatching and burning electoral materials including 4, 015 ballot papers for governorship and state Houses of Assembly elections at Kauran Mata Registration Area Centre of Madobi local government council.

Also read: Five arrested for electoral offences in Osun

“We were at his residence to arrest him but he escaped through the fence of his house, therefore, we are now looking for him to charge him to court,” he said.

Idris also said that during the Presidential and National Assembly elections, the command recorded 26 cases of electoral offences for which 76 suspects were apprehended.

He said during the governorship and house of assembly elections, the police recorded 29 electoral offences, and that 76 suspects were also arrested for involvement in criminal as well as electoral offences.

According to him, the command also arrested one, Aisha Zubairu and Hamisu Murtala, who were INEC ad-hoc staff in Takai Local Government Area for conspiring and diverting electoral materials to the personal residence of Zubairu.

“The suspects were arrested with the election materials not at the designated polling station nor with any security attached to them,” the commissioner said.

“Most of the security problems encountered were recorded in the remote and rural areas. However, the command was able to nip all these problems in the bud.

The commissioner said the command in collaboration with INEC would charge all the suspects to court.