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Ikenna Ngere
Guest
Local vigilante groups armed with sticks and locally crafted swords stepped up to provide security during the ongoing local government elections in Kano State on Saturday, as police officers were notably absent from polling stations.
Naija News gathered that local security personnel stood watch with their makeshift weapons, supporting residents as they prepared to cast their votes.
Electoral officials had begun arriving at the polling units in anticipation of the election.
This local governance exercise proceeded after the Kano State High Court affirmed the authority of the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC) to conduct the elections, dismissing attempts by political parties to halt the process.
Justice Sanusi Ma’aji, who presided over the matter, ruled that KANSIEC is constitutionally mandated to supervise and oversee elections in the state’s 44 local government areas.
This ruling came after KANSIEC initiated legal action against the All Progressives Congress (APC) and 13 other parties.
Channels Television reported that voting materials were being distributed to various polling units as local vigilante groups, along with officials from the Kano Road Transport Agency (Karota), helped ensure security at the sites.
The absence of police presence follows a statement from the Kano State Police Command, confirming compliance with a court order that prohibits their participation in the elections.
Superintendent of Police Abdullahi Haruna addressed the issue in a video message, reiterating the police’s commitment to their constitutional duty to protect lives and property while adhering to the court’s restrictions.
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