The Police Command in Sokoto State and the Department of State Security (DSS) have warned politicians in the state not to involve them in their political squabbles.
This is contained in a statement jointly issued on Sunday by Mr Muhammed Gumel, the state Commissioner of Police, and Mr Yahaya Hassan, the State Director of DSS.
The statement informed members of the public, particularly residents of the state, that the security agencies have dissociated themselves from the misconstrued fact in a viral audio currently in circulation.
“The audio, which was released by the media handlers of the former governor Attahiru Bafarawa, is currently in circulation.
“In this audio there is a portrayal that the former governor, Sen. Aliyu Wamakko, refuses to sign peace accord, which the CP and Director DSS are working on together with Bafarawa.
“For avoidance of doubt, members of the public should note that the initiative, which is aimed at consultation with the elder Statesmen, also expected to be led by Gov. Aminu Tambuwal.
“This is a call for these highly respected statesmen to come together, put aside their political differences and come up with a statement for the state broadcast.
“Which is intended for all political parties supporters to listen to and make them embrace peace for the good of the greater number of Sokoto residents and not for signing of any form of peace accord document as claimed in the audio,” the statement read in part.
The security agencies therefore advised the two elder statesmen to settle their grievances without distortion of the mission of the ongoing consultation.
“Which is built in good faith for the portrayal of their images along political lines.
“Recall that on March 3, the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) launched an Operation against Political thuggery code named: ‘Kule chas’.
“Afterwards the two security chiefs resolved to contact the elder statesmen on the need to cooperate and prevail on their supporters and all other residents to understand that the Operation is to keep the state safe.
“This is also to work with the stakeholders and gather momentum for the better ways of providing security for the forthcoming Gubernatorial and supplementary elections.
“It’s most unfortunate that this viral audio is now in circulation purportedly released by the media handlers of Bafarawa,” it added.
The statement further clarified that the Commissioner of Police and State Director of DSS are not politicians, but members of the state peace and security council.
It said the content should also serve as a call to all political players to stop involving the CP and DSS in their political issues when settling their grievances, and “in a similar way they have been misquoted in the viral audio”.