14th April, 2023.
The Commissioner of Police,
Kano State Police Command,
Bompai, Kano
Attention:
AIG Ibrahim Sani Kaoje,
Dear Sir,
AN OPEN LETTER
REQUEST FOR BEST PRACTICES, PROFESSIONALISM AND BOLD STEPS TO TACKLE POLITICAL
THUGERY/VIOLENCE AHEAD AND DURING THE 15th APRIL, 2023 SUPPLEMENTARY ELECTIONS IN KANO STATE ESPECIALLY
AT TUDUN WADA/DOGUWA FEDERAL CONSTITUENCY
Introduction
The Kano Civil Society Forum (KCSF) is the key umbrella body of over 140 registered different Civil Society
Organizations operating in Kano State, associating under a common platform with the aim of achieving human rights protection and promotion, as well as promotion of democracy and good governance
In an effort to observe the 2023 general elections, Kano Civil Society forum (KCSF) in partnership with
Organization for Community Civic Engagement (OCCEN) established the Kano Civil Society Elections Situation Room, which is an independent initiative established to help in coordination
between all relevant stakeholders in election management to ensure that civil society advocacy towards
guaranteeing free, fair, transparent, credible and peaceful elections are effectively achieved
The Kano Civil Society Election Situation Room has been solely responsible for data collation and analysis, and have also
received election related incident reports from over 750 observers across the 44 Local Government Areas of
Kano State during the February 25th, 2023 Presidential and National Assembly elections, as well as during the 18th February, Governorship and State House of Assembly elections. The two exercises were closely
monitored real time together with election management agencies such as: INEC, Police, National Human Rights
Commission, National Orientation Agency, Army, CSOs and the rest.
The Kano Civil Society Situation Room has for some days received concerns from CBOs and community members in Tudun
Wada/Doguwa Federal Constituency, the same areas where there were alleged intimidation, oppression, killings and destruction of properties, during the two previous elections in the State.
The above ugly situation, has till date become a National and Global human rights violation
issue, as well as made the global community, the National Human Rights Commission,
International organizations, National and Local CSOs to beam their search light on Kano State, in the upcoming supplementary elections.
Here we are, with the long awaited supplementary elections, which is scheduled to be conducted by INEC in some Local Governments, including Doguwa/Tudun Wada Federal constituency.
It is against the foregoing, we call on your good office to uphold the best
practices of professional conduct to proactively address any likely reoccurrence of the 25th February, 2023 ugly
incidences, where innocent souls were allegedly burnt to ashes.
It was a barbaric and inhuman
situation that, as the lead security agency saddled with the responsibility of protecting lives, therefore destruction
of lives and properties must not be allowed to repeat itself this time around.
We urge you to ensure that, your able men and women are not biased in their approach during the conduct of this election, as they did in the last two elections exercises, so that Nigerians and posterity shall remember you for the good work.
We wish to finally remind you that, the prime suspect at the 25th February incidence at Tudun Wada/Doguwa
Federal Constituency who is also participating in the 15th April, 2023 supplementary elections under the APC,
has been banned from entering Doguwa and Tudun Wada areas, as one of the bail conditions granted to him by the court
Therefore ensuring the compliance with this order of the Federal High Court, by the police shall in no small measure help in curtailing any tendency of the reoccurrence of the ugly incidence in the area
No group or individual should be seen acting above the law, regardless of any political party affiliation or social back ground.
Signed:
Amb. Ibrahim Waiya,
President,
Peter Hassan Tijjani,
General Secretary.