From our correspondent, in Kano
The Kano state Police Command has revealed that it has uncovered plans by some religious and political pressure groups to disrupt the forthcoming Sallah festivities in the state.
The Sallah is billed to hold either Tuesday or Wednesday, depending on sighting the crescent moon of Shawwal, which is a requirement to end the Ramadan fast and observe the Eid-el-Fitr.
The state’s Commissioner of Police, Usaini Gumel, disclosed this while delivering a speech at a stakeholders meeting with religious leaders and traditional rulers on the command’s readiness to maintain law and order during the festivities.
He said “The command is aware of plans by some already identified religious and political pressure groups who are mounting pressure on the State Government to succumb to disregarding the ongoing judicial processes such as the matter before the Court on Sheikh Abduljabbar Nasiru Kabara and to speak on issues related to the status of the Emirates and Emirship in the State.
“The plans that have been uncovered show that they are aimed to disrupt the Sallah activities, the existing peace in the state and to cause embarrassment to the State
Government planned activities,” Usaini said.
He stated that already, the command had heavily strengthened security with increased surveillance around the locations where the insecurity elements are clustering in particularl Kofar Nassarawa, Kofar Mata, Kofar
Wambai and Kofar Kudu.
“We are aware of all these, and we are fully ready to decisively deal with this ill-fated decision unless the planners change for the better.
“The sponsors of this plan are also in our close watch, they are advised to stop forthwith, as security agencies are following up and trailing the event and the planners would be arrested and made to face the full wrath of the Law,”the commissioner said.
Mr Gumel also disclosed that the command would deploy heavy security presence in the state and its environs during the festivities.
According to him, in addition to physical security, the command would deploy plain- cloth security personnel across the five Emirates capitals of Kano, Bichi, Gaya, Rano and Karaye and other identified areas to work with the communities “in identifying spoilers and the enemies of the society with a view to apprehending them for the overall community safety.”
He urged traditional rulers and clerics to do more by sensitizing the people on the need to offer information to the police on the movement of dubious characters for prompt action.
Mr Gumel said such information would enable the officers and men of the command to adequately implement the fashioned out security arrangements contained in the detailed Police Operation Order covering the entire period of the festivities.
The CP said the police would keep collaborating with all security partners and critical stakeholders for the employment of necessary security measures that would ensure the arrest and prosecution of “all identified society deviants and miscreants.”
He advised the people of the state not to panic as their safety would be guaranteed before, during and after the festivities.
“We are also appealing to members of the public to cooperate and offer useful actionable intelligence reports to our officers deployed in various parts of our areas of supervision for the success of the operation,” the commissioner added.
Our correspondent reports that all the stakeholders expressed support to the Police Command and vowed to contribute their quota towards ensuring peace during the Sallah festivities and beyond.
