Kaduna: Police arrest 500, rescue 40 corps members

Posted by admin Kaduna, Nigerian Police, State News Friday, April 22nd, 2011

The Kaduna State Police command has arrested 500 suspects from different parts of the state for their roles in last Monday’s violence in the state.

The Police Public Relations Officer of the state command, Aminu Lawan, told our correspondent that many of the suspects were laready being prosecuted.

Lawan also said no fewer than 40 corps members from Pambegua, Kudan Local Government Area were rescued on Monday, which he attributed to the collaboration between the police and the National Youth Service Corps.

Lawan, a Deputy Superintendent of Police, however, told our correspondent on the telephone in Kaduna on Thursday that he could not confirm whether the NYSC in the state had made any special request for corpers participating in the elections in preparation for next Tuesday’s gubernatorial poll.

The police spokesman said the earlier arrangement by the police to provide adequate security for all the stakeholders taking part in the elections still subsisted.

He added that the police had since handed over the rescued corps members to the authorities of the NYSC in the state.

The PPRO said, “We (police) have been holding meetings with all the stakeholders regarding security arrangement for various persons taking part as officials in the elections. It is our responsibility to provide security for all the stakeholders, including the NYSC members and the arrangement is still in place.”

Our correspondent, however, gathered that many of the corps members, who escaped being trapped in Monday’s post-election violence in the state, were taking refuge in the various military and police barracks along with other non-indigenes in the state.

One of the corps members, who pleaded anonymity, told our correspondent at the refugee camp opened at the office of the Kaduna State Poverty Alleviation Agency that he was not sure that he would participate in the conduct of Tuesday’s gubernorship election in the state.

The corps member claimed that he narrowly escaped being killed around the Kawo bridge by the rioters when the violence broke out on Monday. “The situation in Kaduna is still tense. I don’t think I will want to risk my life again as a polling officer. I have never witnessed such violence. Infact, if I have my way, I want to return home now in peace and not in pieces,” he said.

The police on Thursday arraigned 52 men before an Abuja Chief Magistrate’s Court for disturbance of public peace and rioting within the Federal Capital Territory.

The 52 persons appeared before Chief Magistrate Muyiwa Oyeyipo on a five-count charge of criminal conspiracy, unlawful assembly, inciting disturbance, disturbance of public peace and rioting.

Police Prosecutor, Bonface Asogwa told the court that the accused persons were arrested on April 18, at various locations within the FCT, armed with dangerous weapons.

He said the weapons included cutlasses, hammers, jackknifes and charms.

-Punchwp_posts