The Kano State Police Command has attributed its intervention in a meeting organised by the ‘Tinubu Must Go’ movement to security concerns, saying it needed more information about the event to protect participants and residents.
The Commissioner of Police, Ibrahim Adamu Bakori, said the organisers had the right to assemble but argued that notifying the command would have helped officers prepare adequate security for the gathering, which was expected to attract about 700 people.
Bakori spoke during an interview with DCL Hausa following allegations by the movement’s convener, Abba Hikima, that police officers prevented members from accessing a privately hired venue for their meeting on Sunday.
Hikima had claimed in a live video posted on his verified Facebook page that about 10 mobile police vehicles were deployed to the venue, which the organisers had reportedly paid to use.
He described the action as an attempt to frustrate the group’s exercise of its civic rights and vowed to continue its activities.
The lawyer also argued that the organisers did not require police permission to hold the gathering, accusing the command of allowing political considerations to influence its operations.
“The Court of Appeal decision stands. I do not need to inform any security agent to hold my rallies. Next time, we are going to protest; next time, we are going to demonstrate; next time, we are going to hit the ground,” Hikima said.
Responding to the allegations, Bakori said he contacted Hikima on Saturday night after learning about the planned meeting through social media.
The commissioner maintained that the police had no intention of denying the group its right to assemble, but said advance notification would help the command assess potential risks and deploy officers where necessary.
“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.
Bakori disclosed that he asked Hikima to postpone the meeting and visit the command so both sides could discuss the nature of the programme and the security arrangements required.
According to him, Hikima promised to consult other members of the movement and respond, but did not answer subsequent calls.
The police chief said the expected turnout made it necessary for the command to establish details about the participants and their arrangements.
“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,” Bakori stated.
The commissioner also referenced an incident in Sabon Gari about two weeks earlier, when police reportedly recovered weapons from individuals who claimed to have entered Kano for political activities.
He said some suspects were arrested and investigations were ongoing, adding that the incident had reinforced the command’s concerns about large gatherings whose security arrangements were unclear.
“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,” he said.
Bakori stressed that the police needed to protect both the organisers and other residents, particularly when a gathering was expected to draw hundreds of people.
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“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 added.
Bakori Denies Political Motive
The police commissioner rejected suggestions that the command’s intervention was politically motivated, insisting that its actions were driven by security considerations rather than allegiance to any political party.
“There is nothing political about this. It is about understanding the situation and protecting the people of Kano State and Nigeria,” he said.
Bakori further maintained that the command had previously provided security for activities organised by Hikima whenever the necessary arrangements were communicated to the police.
He urged the movement to engage with the command to resolve the disagreement and ensure that future gatherings could take place 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 said.