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You’ll be held fully responsible for violence in Saturday’s polls, monarchs warn police
Bubaraye Dakolo, Chairman of the Bayelsa Traditional Rulers Council, on Wednesday, insisted that security operatives must be held responsible for any form of violence in the state in Saturday’s governorship election, as it is their duty to ensure that no untoward activities were allowed to breach the peace.
A guest of The Morning Show, a breakfast programme on Arise Television, the monarch shared his concerns following the rise of electoral violence in the state, saying though he believed in the competence of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to make efforts to keep his promises, he also remained skeptical due to experiences in previous electoral cycles where the police failed to do their duties.
Questioning the preparedness of the forces, one of the concerns being inadequate preparations to take on riverine environs of the state giving citizens limited access to participation in the elections, he said: “I believe that 98 per cent of the state is ready to go in for this election. However, there may be just one per cent or so, who may be ready to take the laws into their own hands. In the past, they have done so. For instance, someone maims or kills; and then at the end of the election process he’s promoted or given a Jeep, in saying, ‘thank you for a job well done’.
“Never has an electoral offender who has maimed or killed been ever brought to trial. That is what they know. So for them, this is a new Christmas season. And where citizens of Bayelsa state are not even ready to be a part of this violence, people go as far as neighbouring states to procure merchants of violence, bring them into the states through the creeks and cause a crisis. So while the Inspector General of Police has promised that there will be no violence, I want to take him for his words, but however, if it happens otherwise, his name will be written amongst others who have not been able to deliver on their promise. I hope he delivers on his promise.
“The truth is that the politicians are not really to blame. They are exploiting the weaknesses of law enforcement. They are exploiting the fact that they are able to do these things and get away with them. So that should be the concern. Law enforcement should do their work and ensure they have adequate equipment like boats to use as they do not have enough to be able to reach certain water logged areas of Bayelsa state to give which may hinder them from effectively carrying out security operations.
“How many boats do they have? How many boats does the police in Bayelsa state even have? I know they do not have enough boats as compared to vehicles. It puts them at some sort of disadvantage. Are they swimmers enough? Will they want to go on boats to all the riverine places without fear of getting drowned?
“These are the factors, long and short id that once there is any disruption or attempt of disruption, law enforcement should be proactive enough to get those people apprehended and ensure that it does not end after the elections to ensure that at the end of the day, they are sent and trialled and face the full weight of the law. That is deterrence. Anything short of that will just be blowing hot air and at the end of the day, no one is held accountable.”
For instance the monarch saw the statement made by deputy governorship candidate of the APC, Joshua Maciver calling for his supporters to kill persons not in support of their party and dispose their bodies into the rivers, as inciting, condemned it as one of the bad behaviours the security operatives must deal with.
The monarch, himself, a retired military officer showed his support for a group of retired officers who released statements calling for peace in the state during the election, where he stated that it should serve as a call to duty for officers to condemn and prevent all forms of electoral malpractice.
Commending the incumbent governor, Dioye Diri, the monarch said: “Everyone will say, except they are biased, that Douye Diri has done exceptionally well but as you know, I have worked with him very closely and I’m conversant with all the things that have happened in recent times and all the commissioning that has been going in. As traditional rulers we are supposed to encourage anyone that is doing well to keep doing well. We work with those in authority to maximise democracy and that is what we’ve done.”
In a quick riposte on Saturday, Dave Umahi, Minister of Works, has cautioned Nigerians to be circumspect in the manner they react to the story of the death of a female student in his home in Ebonyi State, warning against the temptation of jumping to conclusion.
Conveying his position on the highly-volatile matter through Francis Nwaze, his spokesman, Umahi, former Governor of Ebonyi State and a key figure in the government of President Bola Tinubu, said caution was needed to enable the police conduct unfettered investigation into the matter.
It was his response to breaking of how one Mary Habila, a female physiotherapist reportedly died in his palatial home at Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, on June 27, hours after arriving the day before.
Nwaze, a Senior Special Assistant on Media and Publicity, specifically cautioned against speculations by “tale bearers,” while conveying the Minister’s shock over the matter and his eagerness for the authorities to get at the root of the matter through forensic investigations.
He wrote in the statement: “The attention of the Media Office of the Honourable Minister of Works, Senator Engr. David Nweze Umahi, has been drawn to a publication by a publication concerning the unfortunate passing of Miss Mary Habila in Uburu, Ebonyi State, alleging that the circumstances surrounding her death were shrouded in secrecy.
“The Honourable Minister received the news with profound shock and sadness and has since extended his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family. For the avoidance of doubt, immediately the unfortunate incident occurred, appropriate emergency steps were taken. Medical personnel, including the Chief Medical Director of the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences, Uburu, were contacted without delay, while the Nigeria Police was promptly notified in accordance with the law.
“Following confirmation of Miss Habila’s passing, the Honourable Minister personally received her parents, conveyed his sincere condolences, and advised that an autopsy be conducted to scientifically establish the exact cause of death. At the time, however, the family declined the recommendation.
“It is important to clarify that Miss Mary Habila and Miss Anita Baski are employees of the David Umahi Federal University of Health Sciences, Uburu, who had been on secondment to the Federal Ministry of Works as physiotherapists for the past three years until the unfortunate passing of Miss Habila.
“Following the recent developments and in the interest of ensuring that the truth is established beyond doubt, the Honourable Minister has again reiterated his position that an autopsy must be conducted. He remains convinced that this is the most credible and responsible path to resolving all questions surrounding the unfortunate incident.
“We therefore urge the public to exercise restraint, refrain from speculation or premature conclusions, and allow the relevant authorities to carry out their responsibilities without interference. At this difficult time, our thoughts and prayers remain with the family of the deceased, and we pray that God grants them the strength to bear this irreparable loss.”
The circumstances that led to the sudden death of Mary Habbila, a Nigerian female student died in the Uburu, Ohaozara Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, home of Dave Umahi, Minister of Works, has now thrown the entire household and environs into serious quandary.
SaharaReporters, which first broke the revealed that the incident, which happened since June 27 this year, has been shrouded in secrecy, with both the Ebonyi State Government and the state police command maintaining silence over the matter.
The incident, the report, added, took place barely a day after Habbila and another woman, Anita Baski, both from Kaduna State, were reportedly brought to the minister’s residence, triggering a police investigation, with the case transferred from the Ohaozara Divisional Police Headquarters to the Ebonyi State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Abakaliki.
Habbila and Baski reportedly arrived at the minister’s residence on June 26 to “attend” to him, only for Habbila to be found dead inside the residence the following morning under circumstances investigators are still trying to establish.
Police sources were quoted by the paper as saying that Jonathan Bawado, a police officer who serves as Senator Umahi’s Personal Assistant and previously worked as his Aide-de-Camp (ADC) during his tenure as Governor of Ebonyi State, alerted medical personnel after Habbila was discovered unresponsive.
Subsequently, a doctor and an ambulance were dispatched to the residence, while Tobechukwu Godwin, Chief Superintendent of Police (CSP) Divisional Police Officer (DPO) of Ohaozara Police Division, was notified of the incident, the report said, adding that at the hospital Chihurumnanya Alo, a Professor and Consultant Public Health Physician, Infectious Diseases Specialist and Chief Medical Director of the David Umahi Federal University Teaching Hospital (DUFUTH), Uburu, was also alerted about the incident.
The police who subsequently conveyed Habbila’s body to a mortuary, were said to have handed over the identification tag attached to Habbila’s to the Ebonyi State Police Command by the said DPO, as part of the ongoing investigation.
SaharaReporters, quoted a senior police officer, with knowledge of the case as saying: “The case has been transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Abakaliki,” but, however declined to provide further details, citing the ongoing investigation.
Unlike in other cases, security operatives in Nigeria have upped the ante by adding the arrest of perpetrators to the menu of rescue operations, with the announcement of the capture of eight terrorists who participated in the abduction of school teachers and students in Oyo State on May 15.
All the 46 pupils, students and teachers abducted by terrorists from three schools in Oriire Local Government Area of Oyo State, regained their freedom on Friday, after about 56 days in captivity, with several others reportedly also neutralised during the operation.
Giving a clue of what transpired during the operation, Bayo Onanuga, who broke the story of the feat, said it was the outcome of sustained security operations, which also foiled the attempt by the abductors to secure the release of one of their captured leaders.
Onanuga, Special Adviser to the President on Information and Strategy, using his X handle to give details about the operation, said: “Finally, all the kidnapped pupils and teachers in Orire, Oyo have been rescued by our security agencies. In the course of the rescue operation, eight of the kidnappers were arrested and are now in DSS custody, while some of them were neutralised.”
“There was no quid pro quo in the rescue as one of the terrorists, a kingpin, that the kidnappers demanded his release, is being prosecuted for his atrocities. The security agencies will give full account soon.”
The victims were abducted on May 15 when heavily armed bandits attacked Community Grammar School, Baptist Nursery and Primary School, and L.A. Primary School in the Esiele and Yawota communities of Oriire Local Government Area, seizing dozens of pupils, students and teachers.
The abduction sparked nationwide outrage, with parents, labour unions, traditional rulers and civil society groups mounting sustained pressure on the authorities to secure the victims’ release.
The incident also triggered an indefinite strike by the Nigeria Union of Teachers in Oyo State over growing insecurity in schools.
President Bola Tinubu had condemned the attack and ordered security agencies to intensify intelligence-led operations to rescue the captives and bring the perpetrators to justice.
The President subsequently dispatched a high-powered Federal Government delegation to the affected communities, approved the deployment of specialised rescue assets and authorised the recruitment of 1,000 forest guards to strengthen security across Oyo State.
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