2019: Police warn against vandalism of campaign billboards, violence

The Police in Sokoto State have warned politicians and their supporters against destroying campaign billboards and any act capable of triggering violence.
The Commissioner of Police in the state, Murtala Mani, also warned against hate speeches and illegal assembly.
Mani gave the warning on Tuesday in Sokoto at a stakeholders meeting ahead of the 2019 general elections.
He stressed that political parties must inform the police of any meeting or procession, to ensure the safety of the general public.
The police commissioner said that the police would deal with anyone caught brandishing offensive weapons openly anywhere in the state.
He said: “I urge all the political stakeholders within the state to play the game with decency, understanding and in accordance with the provision of the laws of the land and guidelines of Independent National Electoral Commission.”
Also, the Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Abubakar Sadiq, said no fewer than 242, 546 new voters were registered during the concluded Continuous Voters Registration exercise.
Sadiq said that the state now has 1, 914, 414 registered voters, but added that 98, 589 Permanent Voter Cards had not been collected by their owners.
He added that the commission would also subject the total figure of registered voters in the state to appropriate scrutiny to arrive at the right figure.
The REC urged party leaders and loyalists to abide by INEC guidelines to ensure transparent and credible elections in 2019.
Earlier, Alhaji Maude Danchadi, the state Director of National Orientation Agency, described the meeting as timely and encouraged politicians to shun violence, hate speeches and inciting comments.
He said that the stakeholders meeting would be held in all local government areas in the state.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that leaders of various political parties that attended the event pledged to abide by the rules and guidelines on conducts before, during and after the general elections.
NAN reports that there was questions and answers as well as presentations of publications on electoral matters and offences.