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The Nigeria Police Force has opened investigations into alleged inciting remarks by Senator Francis Fadahunsi, Borno State Commissioner for Youth, Sainna Buba, and Kuje Area Council Chairman, Danjuma Shekwolo, as political activities ahead of the 2027 elections intensify.
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Police said Fadahunsi had been questioned over an alleged threat against members of the Accord Party, while the Borno commissioner and Kuje council chairman are being investigated over separate remarks reportedly warning residents against opposing the APC in 2027.
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The Force Public Relations Officer, Ani Iniedu, declared that inciting members of the public, particularly in connection with the electoral process, is a criminal offence, insisting that the police would act “no matter whose ox is gored.”
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The police also disclosed that 154 persons arrested during the August 15 Osun State governorship election remain under investigation, while defending the use of proportionate force against protesting pensioners in Lagos.
September 01, (THEWILL) — The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has launched investigations into alleged inciting remarks attributed to Senator Francis Fadahunsi (Osun East), Borno State Commissioner for Youth, Sainna Buba, and Chairman of Kuje Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Danjuma Shekwolo, warning that no political actor would be shielded from the law.
The development comes amid growing political activities ahead of the 2027 general election, with the police declaring that statements capable of provoking members of the public, particularly in relation to elections, constitute a criminal offence.
The Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Ani Iniedu, disclosed this on Tuesday at the joint security spokespersons’ briefing held at the National Counter-Terrorism Centre in Abuja.
Iniedu said the Force had already questioned Fadahunsi over an alleged threat against members of the Accord Party in Osun State, while investigations into the comments attributed to Buba and Shekwolo were ongoing.
“On the issue of the Senator in Osun State, the council chairman in the FCT and the Borno commissioner’s inciting comments, I was part of the team that questioned the distinguished senator in Osun State. The law is very clear when it comes to inciting. It is criminal to incite members of the public, especially when commenting on the electoral process. The Nigerian Police Force is responsible for maintaining law and order, and we will not shy away from this responsibility, no matter whose ox is gored”, he said.
The investigation follows separate controversial statements reportedly made by the three political actors.
THEWILL earlier reported that Senator Fadahunsi was questioned for more than two hours by detectives over comments contained in a viral video in which he was alleged to have urged supporters to “kill” members of the Accord Party during a political gathering in Ilesa ahead of the August 15 Osun governorship election.
Buba was reported to have threatened to flog residents who refused to support the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the 2027 general election. Similarly, Shekwolo reportedly warned residents of Kuje Area Council that they should either vote for the APC in 2027 or leave the council.
Iniedu said the Force would determine whether the remarks breached criminal laws and assured that the outcome of the investigations would be made public.
“Every inciting statement listed here is under investigation presently, and the outcome will be released. We also want to use this opportunity to advise and caution all political stakeholders to desist from such comments”, he said.
154 Arrested During Osun Poll Still Under Investigation
The police also disclosed that 154 persons arrested in connection with the August 15 governorship election in Osun State remain under investigation.
According to Iniedu, the arrests were made as part of the security measures deployed before and during the election.
“However, I want to confirm that during the elections, as of the morning of the elections, we had arrested about 154 persons and they are presently being investigated”, he said.
He appealed to members of the public with information about electoral offences or other crimes to cooperate with investigators by providing statements and evidence. According to him, the reluctance of witnesses to come forward has remained a major obstacle to successful criminal prosecution in Nigeria.
“One of the challenges I must tell you now is that, under the law, a case is made when there are two or three witnesses. He who alleges must prove his allegations. The challenge we have in Nigeria right now is that most of our witnesses are those who have evidence of the incident and do not come forward when it is time to go to court”, Iniedu said.
He urged witnesses and members of the public to come forward without fear, stressing that evidence and credible testimony were essential to helping police investigators and prosecutors build cases.
“I would refer to you, enlightened members of the public, to come forward without fear and to give your representation so we could help our lawyers in the prosecution of these cases”, he said.
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Police Defend Tear-Gassing Of Lagos Pensioners
Meanwhile, the Force defended the use of force against pensioners who protested in Lagos over their outstanding entitlements, saying the police recognised their right to demand their benefits but would not allow protests to degenerate into disorder.
Iniedu said every serving uniformed personnel looks forward to retirement and understands the importance of a peaceful and dignified life after years of service.
“The unfortunate incident in Lagos where pensioners were being tear-gassed. Every uniformed personnel looks forward to the day when he retires. It’s a peaceful thing to be called a senior citizen after serving your country meritoriously. There is no difference, whether serving or retired. Officers in uniform have challenges as well as officers who have retired”, he said.
He, however, maintained that the constitutional right to make demands or express grievances did not confer an unrestricted right to engage in conduct that could disrupt public order.
“However, the Nigerian Constitution does not give the right to be disorderly in making your representation”, he said.
According to him, Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, had on two occasions invited the pensioners to his office and advised them on lawful channels for pursuing their grievances.
“I’m very aware that the Inspector-General of Police on two occasions called the pensioners to his office and guided them on relevant ways to take up their representation. We have had several breaches from them”, Iniedu said.
He recalled that some of the protesters had previously breached the premises of the Presidential Villa in Abuja, while another protest allegedly resulted in the blocking of major highways in the FCT.
“If you will remember, the protesters breached the premises of the Villa in Abuja. Another blocked several highways in the Federal Capital Territory”, he said.
Iniedu maintained that the police were empowered by law to use proportionate force to disperse gatherings that became riotous or posed a threat to public order.
“The law permits the Nigeria Police Force to use proportionate force in the quelling of any riotous gathering”, he stated.
Despite defending the police action, Iniedu appealed to the pensioners to continue pursuing their demands peacefully and assured them of the support of the police leadership.
“I want to use this platform to call on the pensioners to run their representations in an orderly manner. I want to assure them that the Inspector-General of Police and the Nigeria Police Force are behind them in the carrying out of these complaints and representations”, he said.
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