The Niger State Police Command has cautioned politicians, party loyalists, and the public against targeting opponents and vandalising campaign billboards, posters, and banners ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The warning followed a noticeable surge in the intentional damage of campaign materials and assaults on political party members across the state, according to Punch. The police condemned these actions, describing them as displays of political intolerance that would no longer be permitted.
In a press statement released on Saturday, the spokesperson for the Niger State Police Command, Wasiu Abiodun, made it clear that destroying or removing campaign property amounts to malicious damage under Nigerian law. He stated that those who orchestrate attacks, disrupt political gatherings, or bring offensive weapons to campaign events will be apprehended and prosecuted.
Abiodun said the command condemned the acts and warned political supporters, miscreants, and hoodlums engaging in criminality to desist immediately, as unlawful conduct would face firm resistance from law enforcement.
To enforce the directive, the Niger State Commissioner of Police, Adamu Abdullahi Elleman, has instructed area commanders, tactical unit heads, and divisional police officers across the state to keep a close watch on political events and party displays. The officers have been told to prevent vandalism, launch investigations whenever incidents happen, and bring offenders before the courts.
The command also warned political financiers and leaders against backing violent groups or instigating attacks on their rivals. Elleman stated that sponsors who recruit or support perpetrators would be held liable if evidence ties them to such crimes, noting that all candidates and parties have the right to legal protection.
The police advised all registered parties, political hopefuls, and their followers to carry out their political activities in a peaceful manner while respecting the rights of other contenders.
