Usaini Gumel, the Sokoto State Commissioner of Police, has inaugurated a 13-member special team to handle cases emanating from the 2023 electoral violence and other related offences.

Mr Gumel said Nasiru Lawal, the officer in charge of the legal department in Sokoto State Police Command, heads the committee. 

He said the team was constituted sequel to the directives from the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali.

He said that the team comprised lawyers, forensic investigation crackers and experts within the police.

Mr Gumel said the men have a requisite speciality in conducting evidence-based investigations, interrogation and technology-driven prosecution processes for the courts to right the wrongs diligently.

According to him, police authorities were working with other security agencies in the state and INEC legal team, alongside federal and the state Directorates of Public Prosecutions (DPPs), for the desired legal advice and services needed.

The CP called on politicians and the general public to warn their followers to shun violence and similar intended actions to resolve their grievances on perceived injustices before, during and after the elections.

He said the divisions in the team were: Legal/Prosecution, Crack and Prosecution and Report Writing Units.

The CP added that police were working on alleged viral videos and audios in circulation on social media where political party bigwigs were instigating followers on self-defence and attacking any election manoeuvres suspected during the elections.

Meanwhile, the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chairman of Tambuwal Local Government Area, Abubakar Ahmad, has complained about a viral video in circulation where a rival political party chairman called on loyalists to outrightly attack any suspicious movements during the election exercise.

At a press briefing, Mr Ahmad said the complaint was forwarded to all the security agencies in the state to react to such viral videos instigating violence.

He cautioned politicians against misguided utterances and urged security personnel to live up to the expectations. 

(NAN)