The Kano state Police Command has advised former governor, Senator Rabi’u Musa Kwankwaso, to shelve his much-talked-about visit to the state for fear of being hijacked by hoodlums to cause breach of the peace.
Addressing journalists at the Bompai Police headquarters in Kano, Commissioner of Police, Rabi’u Yusuf, said although the senator, representing Kano Central, has the right to exercise his freedom of association and assembly, but “credible information at the disposal of the Command reveals that the proposed visit has generated palpable fears in the minds of the people.
“There is apprehension amongst the general populace and the tendency to hijack the visit by some disgruntled politicians or miscreants cannot be ruled out.”
Yusuf stressed the urgent need to nip the looming problem in the bud, saying: “Any action or inaction by any person or group of persons that may jeopardise the relative peace the state is enjoying must be averted.
“On this premise, it is the candid advice of the Command that such a visit to the state should be shelved by Kwankwaso until the tension generated by the planned visit is doused and security threat neutralised.”The Command, he assured, “would continue to be firm, fair and just in providing a level playing ground for all political gladiators to carry out their political activities without fear of molestation and or intimidation.”
Yusuf insisted that the Police would not hesitate to deal decisively with any attempt by any political group to frustrate the peace of Kano. Yusuf confirmed that the Command received a letter yesterday (Thursday) dated January 16 by the Kwankwasiyya group regarding the senator’s political rally.He revealed consequent upon receipt of the letter, the Command formerly replied the group, advising it to cancel the visit.
The Police chief emphasised that the Command had earlier received similar letter from All Progressives Congress (APC) in Kano, notifying it of a political event in the state. He maintained that it is unprofessional to allow two opposing groups in the same political party to hold rally on the same day.
But Kwankwaso denied the report, attributing it to his detractors. A statement by Binta Rabiu, on behalf of Kwankwaso, said: “It has come to our knowledge that out of desperation, some groups or individuals, who are cronies of the Ganduje administration, are sponsoring falsehood about Kwankwaso’s scheduled visit to his constituency on January 30.
Efforts to get the reaction of former commissioner for Water Resources and leader of Kwankwasiyya group, Dr. Yunusa Dangoni, proved abortive, as he neither picked his calls nor responded to text messages at press time.
