The Kano State Police Command has explained its deployment of officers to the venue of a planned meeting by the Tinubu Must Go, TMG, movement, saying the action was intended to prevent a breakdown of law and order and ensure the safety of the organisers and residents.
The command’s explanation followed allegations by Abba Hikima, a human rights activist and convener of the movement, who accused the police of blocking the proposed venue of the meeting on Sunday.
In a live video posted on his verified Facebook page, Mr Hikima alleged that about 10 mobile police vehicles had been stationed at the venue, preventing the group from holding its planned meeting.
He described the action as a violation of the civic rights of Nigerians, arguing that the law did not require citizens to obtain police permission before organising gatherings.
However, reacting to the allegations in an interview with DCL Hausa, the Kano State Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, acknowledged the right of the movement to organise its meeting but said notifying the command would have enabled it to make adequate security arrangements.
Mr Bakori said he contacted Mr Hikima after seeing social media posts about the planned gathering but was unable to establish sufficient details about the event.
“What happened is that, in the first place, it is their right to come and organise their gathering. Nobody will stop them, and the law does not require them to inform us.
“However, notifying us is important because it allows us to regulate the event and ensure there is no tension, that nobody attacks them and that they do not engage in any activity in Kano that can constitute an offence,” he said.
The commissioner said he contacted Mr Hikima on Saturday night after seeing reports about the planned meeting on social media.
“Last night, I saw on social media that they were planning to organise a gathering. I called Barrister Hikima and asked him what was happening. He told me it was a meeting they intended to hold.
“I told him it was important for them to notify us so that we could provide security for them and the people of Kano State. We did not know the nature of the gathering, especially as they said about 700 people would attend,” he said.
According to Mr Bakori, the command was concerned about the expected turnout of about 700 people and needed information about the participants and their accommodation arrangements to ensure adequate security.
He said the police had a history of providing security for political gatherings organised by different groups in the state, adding that such groups usually communicated with the command before their events.
“If 700 people are coming into Kano, we need to know the details. This is not the first time political groups from different parties have organised activities in the state. They usually write to us, and we provide security for them,” he said.
The commissioner said he advised Mr Hikima to postpone the meeting and meet with the command to discuss the security arrangements.
He, however, alleged that the activist promised to consult other members of the movement but subsequently failed to respond to his calls.
“I asked him to postpone the meeting and come so we could discuss the matter. He said he would consult others and get back to me. I called him several times afterwards, but he did not answer,” Mr Bakori said.
He added that the command was concerned that any security incident involving the gathering could create tension among residents and visitors to the state.
The commissioner also defended the police deployment, saying the command needed to understand the nature of the gathering and the identities of those expected to attend before making security arrangements.
Asked whether the police had intelligence suggesting that some of the expected participants had criminal records, Mr Bakori said the command was taking proactive measures to prevent potential threats to public peace.
He cited an incident in Sabon Gari, Kano, about two weeks earlier, when, according to him, police seized weapons from some individuals who claimed to have come to the state for political activities.
“We were concerned about another gathering that was expected to attract about 700 people. We did not know who they were or where they would stay. We need to protect them and the residents of the state. That is what happened,” he said.
“Two weeks ago, some people came to Sabon Gari claiming they were there for political activities. We seized weapons, arrested some of them, and we are still investigating the matter.”
Mr Bakori said the earlier incident informed the command’s concerns about the planned TMG meeting, adding that the police wanted to prevent a similar occurrence.
“We saw on social media that they were coming, and we recalled what happened two weeks ago in Sabon Gari. Even though you have the right to do something, your right ends where another person’s right begins,” he said.
He maintained that the disagreement could have been resolved through dialogue, insisting that the command’s intention was to protect both the organisers and other residents.
“This is a simple matter that could be resolved through discussion to ensure the safety of everyone, including the organisers and their members.
“We are not aware of the nature of the gathering. All we asked was for him to come so we could discuss it and understand the type of event in order to provide protection for them and the people of the state,” he said.
The police commissioner also dismissed suggestions that the deployment was politically motivated or intended to suppress dissent.
He said the command had previously received complaints from Mr Hikima and investigated them, adding that appropriate action had been taken where necessary.
“You cannot stop people from expressing their views. If you ask him how many times he has come to my office with complaints, you will find out that we have investigated them and taken appropriate action, including punishing those responsible,” Mr Bakori said.
“There is nothing political about this. It is about understanding the situation and protecting the people of Kano State and Nigeria.”
He further said the command had provided security for previous activities organised by the activist and his associates, which, according to him, ended peacefully.
“Our advice is that he should have informed us so we could provide security for the organisers and the people of Kano State. We are all working for the people,” the commissioner added.