In a press conference held in Abuja, a group of activists appealed to President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intervene and stop desperate politicians from blackmailing Nigeria’s security agencies for selfish purposes related to the upcoming governorship election in Kogi State scheduled for November 11.
The activists, under the banner of ‘Lawyers and Activists for Good Governance’, also urged security chiefs in the country to address politicians who are involving security agencies in political disputes and attempting to compromise them.
They specifically accused the Social Democratic Party (SDP) and its candidate, Muritala Yakubu, of deliberately blackmailing the police and the Department of State Services (DSS) to prevent them from performing their constitutionally mandated duties of ensuring security and preventing criminal activities in the state.
The activists referred to a recent press release by the SDP in which the party expressed a vote of no confidence in the state’s security agencies, alleging that they were planning to arrest some of their members.
Comrade Mohammed Sanni, the leader of the activists, suggested that the SDP candidate, who has reportedly had disputes with every Police Commissioner posted to Kogi State, should be thoroughly investigated.
News About Nigeria reports that Sanni criticised the SDP’s press release as irresponsible and a form of blackmail against the police and DSS, who are responsible for providing security for politicians and the electorate.
He questioned why the party would object to the arrest or invitation of its members if they were suspected of criminal activities.
“We consider as unfortunate and irresponsible the Press Release authored by the Social Democratic Party a few days ago, which amounted to blackmailing the Police and the Department of State Services, DSS, for carrying out their constitutional assignments of providing security for politicians and the electorate alike.
“In the said Press Release, the SDP claimed to have passed a vote of no confidence in the leadership of the Police and DSS in the state and called for their removal. The Party alleged that the security agencies were planning to arrest some of their people. If those people have committed crimes worth investigating, why would they not be invited or arrested as the case warrants?”
