CP Azare warns thugs, sponsors: “No political ambition is worth the blood of any citizen”
By Abdullahi Inuwa
The Akwa Ibom State Police Command has stepped up preparations for the 2027 General Elections with a massive show of force across Uyo, the state capital, warning political thugs, sponsors of violence and other troublemakers to stay off the streets.
The security exercise, conducted on Monday, August 31, saw the deployment of heavily equipped police personnel, patrol vehicles and other operational assets to major roads, strategic locations and identified flashpoints across the Uyo metropolis.
The Command said the operation was designed not only to demonstrate its readiness for the forthcoming elections but also to reassure residents that adequate security measures were being put in place to protect lives, property and the democratic process.
The exercise also served as a warning to criminal elements and individuals planning to exploit political activities to cause violence, intimidate opponents or disrupt public peace.
Addressing officers involved in the operation, the Commissioner of Police, CP Baba Mohammed Azare, said the Command would adopt a proactive approach rather than wait for violence to erupt before responding.
He said intelligence gathering, preventive policing, strategic deployment, engagement with political and community stakeholders, as well as sustained police visibility, would form the backbone of the Command’s security strategy as political activities gather momentum ahead of the 2027 elections.
Azare assured political parties, candidates, supporters and residents that the Police would remain professional, neutral and impartial in the discharge of its duties.
According to him, every law-abiding citizen and political party would be given the opportunity to exercise their constitutional rights without fear, intimidation or harassment.
But while assuring residents of police protection, the Commissioner drew a clear line against political violence.
“Akwa Ibom State belongs to all of us, and no political ambition is worth the blood or life of any citizen,” Azare warned.
He added that the Police would protect the electoral process and the rights of law-abiding citizens, but those who resort to violence, intimidation, thuggery or other criminal acts would face the full weight of the law.
The Commissioner also issued a special warning to youths against allowing politicians or other individuals to recruit and arm them for election-related violence.
He urged young people to reject political thuggery, stressing that their future was far more valuable than being used as instruments of violence.
The Command further warned against the illegal possession of firearms and dangerous weapons, attacks on political opponents, destruction or defacement of campaign materials, hate speech, threats, intimidation and disruption of lawful political gatherings.
Political parties and candidates were advised to conduct their campaigns peacefully and responsibly while cooperating with the Police and other security agencies to maintain public order.
The Command also urged political groups planning rallies, processions and other major events to notify the Police ahead of time to allow for proper security and traffic arrangements and prevent clashes between rival supporters.
Residents, in turn, were encouraged to remain vigilant and report suspicious movements, illegal possession of weapons, planned acts of political violence and other security threats to the nearest police formation.
The Commissioner stressed that Monday’s show of force was not a one-off exercise, saying similar intelligence-led patrols, raids, confidence-building operations and strategic deployments would continue across the state as political activities intensify.
The Police Command said it would work closely with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), other security agencies, political parties, traditional and religious leaders, youth groups, the media and the wider public to ensure that Akwa Ibom remains peaceful before, during and after the 2027 elections.
The Command reiterated that its objective was to create a secure environment where citizens could participate freely in the democratic process while ensuring that anyone attempting to turn the state into a theatre of political violence would be decisively dealt with according to the law.
About The Author
