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The Bauchi State Police Command arrested 47 suspects posing as operatives of a state-owned security outfit during the Disina State Constituency by-election in Shira Local Government Area on Saturday.
Officers apprehended the individuals across multiple polling units while recovering firearms, cutlasses, and sticks from them.
The arrests followed strict pre-election directives explicitly banning quasi-security agencies, private security guards, and state-owned security outfits from participating in election coverage.
Police Public Relations Officer SP Nafiu Habib confirmed that the command took the armed suspects into custody immediately after discovering them at voting centres in direct violation of the Electoral Act.
“Following our deployment for election duty in Disina State Constituency, Shira LGA, 47 operatives claiming to be members of a state-owned security outfit were arrested within polling units,” Habib stated.
He added that Commissioner of Police Sani-Omolori Aliyu strongly condemned the “blatant disregard for lawful directives and attempt to undermine the electoral process.”
Following the CP’s directive, the command transferred the suspects to the State Criminal Investigation Department (SCID) in Bauchi for detailed investigation and prosecution.
Reaffirming its determination to maintain a peaceful voting process, the police command warned that officers will decisively handle any individual or group attempting to disrupt the election while urging citizens to report suspicious activities.
