ELECTION 2015: Nigerian Police Intercepts 850 Cutlasses In Katsina

As concerned Nigerians and the international communities continue to call for a violence free general elections in the country, the Police in Katsina State has announced that they intercepted 850 cutlasses which were allegedly smuggled into the state by a political party ahead of next month’s polls.

Making the disclosure at the weekend at a meeting with political parties in the state was the Deputy Commissioner Police in Benue state, Bala Zama Senchi.

The police boos however, declined to mention the party that smuggled the cutlasses into the state.

According to Daily Trust report, Senchi stated that the cutlasses were new and warned that the command would not tolerate thuggery or any act capable of causing unrest before, during and after next month’s elections.

He enjoined politicians in Katsina state to operate within the ambit of the law.

Senchi added that the police are non partisan and committed to ensuring peaceful conduct of the exercise.

He called on parties to submit their campaign timetables to the police to avoid clashes and confrontations during campaigns.

In his words: “We must collaborate for a successful election.”

In a related development, the Bauchi State Police Command stated at the weekend that it recovered 34 stolen vehicles, two Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and a sizeable number of arms and ammunition in 2014.

The state Commissioner of Police, Lawal Shehu, made the disclosure while speaking on the command’s performance in 2014, adding that the command recovered 13 AK 47 rifles, one SMG rifle, three Barreta rifles, 11 fabricated pistols, four G-3 rifles, three K2 rifles, 27 Dane guns and three toy guns.

Shehu also informed that the command also recovered 586 rounds of AK 47 live ammunition, eight rounds of SMG live ammunition, 43 cartridges and one magazine, 13 boxes of IED cable detonators and two IEDs concealed inside a fire extinguisher.

“During the year under review, police, through a coordinated operation in various locations within the state smashed a syndicate of cattle rustlers and recovered 164 cattle, 34 sheep and 20 goats. Five suspects have been arrested and charged to court for prosecution,” he said.

The police chief added that over 1,195 suspects consisting of members of Sara-Suka, cattle rustlers and armed robbers were arrested.

He however stated that they were able to achieve the feat through useful information volunteered by members of the public.

It would be recalled that all political parties in the country last week agreed to a peace pact to prevent violence during and after next month’s general elections.

President Goodluck Jonathan of the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the Presidential candidate of the All Progressive Congress (APC), General Muhammadu Buhari were among politicians that attended the peace pact held in Abuja to curb violence during next month’s polls.