TheCable

 The Kano state police command has declared Musa Iliyasu, a former commissioner in the state, wanted for allegedly sponsoring thugs to disrupt last Saturday’s governorship and state houses of assembly elections.

Iliyasu, a commissioner of rural and community development, during the administration of Ibrahim Shekarau, allegedly disrupted the polls at Kauran Mata ward in Madobi local government area of the state.

Ibrahim Idris, the police commissioner, disclosed this while briefing reporters in Kano on Tuesday.

He said the command declared the suspect wanted along with four others who were still at large following the arrest of 14 people who named Iliyasu as their sponsor.

“The suspects were arrested for snatching and burning electoral materials including 4, 015 ballot papers for governorship and state houses of assembly elections at Kauran Mata registration area centre of Madobi local government council,” he said.

“We were at his residence to arrest him but he escaped through the fence of his house, therefore, we are now looking for him to charge him to court.”

Idris also said that the command recorded 26 cases of electoral offences during the presidential and national assembly elections and that 76 suspects were apprehended.

He said during the governorship and house of assembly elections, the police recorded 29 electoral offences and that 76 suspects were arrested for involvement in criminal as well as electoral offences.

The command also arrested Aisha Zubairu and Hamisu Murtala, who were INEC ad-hoc staff in Takai local government area of the state for allegedly conspiring and diverting electoral materials to the personal residence of Zubairu.

“The suspects were arrested with the election materials not at the designated polling station nor with any security attached to them,” Idris said.

“Most of the security problems encountered were recorded in the remote and rural areas. However, the command was able to nip all these problems in the bud.”