Inspector General of Police Usman Baba of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) announced on Saturday that it is necessary to caution groups and individuals against divisive comments and utterances that could inflame the political climate and trigger a national crisis. The warning comes amid widespread outcry over the new naira policy. The NPF spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, released a statement to this effect, which was obtained by our correspondent.
The call follows allegations made by Kaduna State Governor Nasir El‑Rufai on Thursday. He described the current scarcity of naira notes as part of a plot to disrupt the forthcoming general elections and enable an interim government to take power. El‑Rufai claimed the scheme was designed to cause the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) presidential candidate, Bola Tinubu, and other party candidates to lose, alleging that those who were defeated in the APC primaries were behind the plot.
In related developments, the Department of State Services summoned Femi Fani‑Kayode, spokesperson for the APC Presidential Campaign Council, over accusations of a coup plot ahead of the February elections. The NPF’s Force Intelligence Bureau also invited the former Minister of Aviation for comments on the matter. Last week, Fani‑Kayode tweeted that senior army officers had met with politicians, including Peoples Democratic Party presidential candidate Atiku Abubakar, allegedly to sabotage the February 25 general elections. He suggested the meeting could be part of an agenda to provoke a coup and establish an unconstitutional order.
Reacting on Saturday, Adejobi said, “This call is highly imperative as the police perceive the reactions and utterances of certain groups and individuals as an attempt to heat up the polity and spontaneously instigate the populace against the government and its policies for their peculiar interests and gains.” He urged Nigerians to remain calm and embrace peace, noting that the Federal Government is “taking the bull by the horn” to address the scarcity of naira and fuel and to restore normalcy across all sectors.
Adejobi further urged the public to desist from any act of violence, hooliganism, or vandalism that could jeopardize the ongoing electoral process, which is critical for the transitional advancement of democracy in Nigeria. He assured citizens that the NPF is working in concert with defence, security, and intelligence agencies to provide a peaceful environment for all Nigerians to conduct their socio‑economic activities.
Comments are closed for this story.