Borno State Governor, Kashim Shettima, has vowed to handover any politician who may want to cause violence before, during and after the elections to the security agencies for prosecution.
He disclosed this on Monday while declaring open the ‘Elections Security Management Summit on Adamawa, Yobe and Borno’ in Maiduguri.
Shettima, who was represented by the acting Borno state’s Head of Service, Madi Gazali, said the regions has suffered colossal destruction and will not tolerate anyone who might want to cause more violence in the state.
“We are confident that the people of Borno have experienced a lot of challenges as a result the insurgency and would not engage themselves in any form of politically-motivated or electoral-related violence before during or even after the elections.
“Let me remind you that the primary responsibility of government is to guarantee safety and the security of people and we will ensure peaceful election in Borno and northeast regions,” he said.
He lauded the organisers, Nigeria Policing Programme (NPP), for the patriotism and efforts to ensure there are safe and credible elections in the northeast.
Also speaking, Borno state Police Commissioner, Damian Chukwu, called for more collaborations and synergy for the conduct of free, fair and credible elections in Nigeria.
The police boss assured that his command would not allow any persons to commit violence and vowed that anyone found wanting will be punished according to the law.
In his remarks, the chairman, Borno State Inter- Party Advisory Council, Muktar Abdalla, urged INEC to expressly distribute at least 150,000 Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) in their custody.
“I am urging them to go and distribute all PVC cards; they told us that they have about 157,000 PVCs in the custody of Independent National Electoral Commission. We can’t fold our hands and be looking. Definitely this week, I will go to INEC and see the Commissioner and find lasting solutions to this huge unclaimed PVCs because the elections is at the corner; it is important that they must distribute these cards,” Abdalla said.
Dignitaries at the event include His Royal Highness, the Shehu of Borno, Dr Abubakar Ibn Umar Garbai Al-Amin Elkanemi, INEC Commissioner for Northeast, Commissioners of Police for Adamawa and Yobe states, among others.
The summit which was organised by the Nigerian Policing Programme aimed at achieving multifarious objectives which include ensuring peaceful, credible, safe and secured elections in the northeast.
