Nigeria warned ahead of polls
2006-08-08 12:16
Abuja - A chief of the Nigerian police on Monday warned politicians against "acts of thuggery" and all forms of political violence ahead of April 2007 elections.
Sunday Ehindero said: "I wish to send a note of warning to political office-seekers that the Nigerian police will not condone acts of thuggery in any form whatsoever.
"Anyone keeping or sponsoring thugs should be prepared to face the consequences. All such thugs and their sponsors will be arrested, publicly paraded and prosecuted", adding that state police bosses had been instructed to "deal firmly and decisively" with political violence.
Nigeria, Africa's most populous nation, would go to the polls next April to elect the president, parliament and state governors.
Ehindero said a probe into the July 27 murder of a Lagos gubernatorial hopeful, Funsho Williams, was still underway.
He said that a team of the London Metropolitan Police was asked to provide "forensic back-up" for the investigation, denying reports that they were carrying out the actual probe.
He said: "Our officers are the investigators." Williams, 58, an engineer and member of the ruling People's Democratic Party, was found murdered at his home by unknown assailants.