Special Court to handle cases of political thuggery, other electoral offences coming – CJ

BY ANKELI EMMANUEL, Sokoto

Ahead of the 2023 general elections, the Chief Judge of Sokoto State, Justice Muhammad Sai’du Sifawa has assured that a special court will be set up to handle all suspects in respect of electoral offences.

This, according to Justice Sifawa, is to allow for speedy dispensing of such cases.

The Chief Judge, while speaking when Sokoto State Commissioner of Police, (CP) Muhammad Gumel led a delegation of the State Inter Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) on a courtesy visit to him, added that, such cases will be tried dispassionately according to the law.

Justice Sifawa, while reassuring of his commitment towards working with the committee, said, “a special court with mandate to be handling all suspects in cases of electoral offences such as political thuggery will be set up and such offences will be dealt with decisively no matter the forces behind them.”

Addressing the Chief Judge, Commissioner of Police Gumel said the ICCES comprises of representatives from all other Security agencies and was set up primarily with the mandate of policing and managing the upcoming General Elections and is grouped under four key pillars.

He listed the pillars to include, ensuring the safety and security of all persons and properties that will be involved in the entire electoral process without bias, strict enforcement of the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria, the Penal code as well as the Electoral laws without fear or favor, Provision of security, jointly organizing traffic and crowd management at political party campaigns and rallies, and other activities relating to the elections.

He said the mandate of the Committee also includes escalation of security deployments to occupy public spaces to ensure crime free and enabling environment for the political campaigns and other components of the electoral process to thrive.

The CP appealed to the judiciary to recognize the Committee as they will be working together on election security and management.

The Sokoto State Police Command spokesperson, DSP Sanusi Abubakar in a statement, also quoted the Commissioner of Police as observing that, “Law Enforcement Agencies are gates to criminal justice administration and the courts are the ultimate.”