Ebonyi State Police Command, says that members of the South East Security outfit code-named Ebubeagu do not have any constitutional backing to enable them to play any role in the 2023 general election in the State.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Aliyu Garba stated this during a meeting with political parties, Heads of Security Agencies and all Stakeholders involved in the 2023 elections.
He disclosed that 25 members of Ebuebeagu Security Outfit were still languishing in prison for various criminal charges.
Garba noted that the law is no respecter of persons and warned that the police will not fail to arrest anybody who engages in violence before, during or after the elections.
The CP spoke against the backdrop of complaints and petitions by opposition political parties in the State against the activities of the outfit.
Ebubeagu has in recent times been accused of extrajudicial killings, and indiscriminate arrests of members of the opposition political parties, among other human rights abuses.
The CP at the meeting reiterated the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali’s stance that Ebubeagu Southeast Security Outfit and all other state government-run security outfits are non State actors and as such have no role to play in the electoral process.
He said:” Sec. 91 of the electoral Act has expressly provided that only the Security Agencies shall have a role to play in the electioneering process as it relates to the conduct of political rallies and procession. The section state and I quote
“The Commissioner of Police in each State of the Federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, shall provide adequate security for the proper and peaceful conduct of political rallies and processions in their respective jurisdictions and, for this purpose, the Police may be supported by the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps and any other security agency of the Federal Government”
“The import of the above provision of the Electoral Act 2022 expressly prohibits Non-State Actors especially Ebubeagu to participate in the electioneering process in whatsoever capacity”
“The South East Security Outfit (Ebubeagu) has no role in the electioneering campaign and they are not created for any political purposes rather they are to complement the security architecture of the State with the State Actors”.
“Therefore, no LG Chairman nor political party stakeholders should engage the Ebubeagu bearing arms of whatever calibre for a whatsoever reason as Ebubeagu are not created for their political aggrandizement rather they are to strengthen the security of the State as non-state actors”, he said.
Mr Garba further warned against use of abusive language during the election campaigns by political parties
” Section 92 of Electoral Act 2022 expressly prohibits politicians during political campaigns from making use of slogans tainted with abusive language directly or indirectly so as to avoid any act that will cause a breach of public peace”.
“Therefore anyone found wanting will be dealt with accordingly. As such, the LG Chairmen and all political stakeholders including aspirants are hereby warned and reminded that no one is above the law and anyone who goes contrary to the provision of the extant laws shall be arrested and prosecuted accordingly”, he warned
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