Local vigilante members armed with sticks and handmade swords provided security for residents during Kano State’s local government elections on Saturday.
As of this report, no police officers were seen at the polling units, though local security personnel stood behind voters, holding sticks and swords as residents prepared to vote.
Electoral officials have begun arriving at polling units after a ruling from the Kano State High Court granted the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission (KANSIEC) the authority to proceed with the elections, overruling attempts to stop the exercise. Justice Sanusi Ma’aji presided over the case, affirming KANSIEC’s constitutional right to conduct and oversee elections across Kano’s 44 local government areas. This decision followed a legal challenge by KANSIEC against the All Progressives Congress (APC) and 13 other parties.
Reports from the scene confirm that voting materials are now reaching polling units. Additional security is being provided by local vigilantes and officials from the Kano Road Transport Agency (Karota), following an announcement from the Kano State Police Command that it would abide by a court order preventing its involvement in the election.
The command’s Public Relations Officer, Superintendent Abdullahi Haruna, confirmed this on Friday in a video shared with Channels Television.
“We will comply with the court order restricting us from participation in the coming Kano State Local Government Election. However, we will remain steadfast in fulfilling our constitutional mandate of protection of lives and properties.
“Following the court order restricting the police and the Kano State Independent Electoral Commission, the police vows to abide by the court order by not taking part in the forthcoming local government elections.
“You are very much aware of the court order which was received by the Police Command here in Kano. Item nine of the order provides that the Police should not participate in the forthcoming local government election in the state.
“So, the Police in Kano are not participating in the election. However, it’s our responsibility to ensure no breakdown of law and order in the state and we’re always alive to our responsibilities,” Haruna said.