The Sokoto State Police Command has debunked a report that it arrested a woman for allegedly embarrassing Governor Aliyu Sokoto.
A statement by ASP Ahmad Rufai, the police command spokesman, said the woman in question had actually lied to the village head of Sabon Birnin Daji that she wanted to distribute relief materials to the less privileged in the community.
However as soon as people were mobilised for her, she began to preach inciting things calling for forceful takeover of public property in the area.That was how she was reported to the relevant community guards who arrested the woman and handed her over to th police.
The police rejoinder reads: “The attention of the Nigeria Police Force Sokoto Command has been drawn to the ongoing falsehood and misinformation circulated by Gistcore media and other social media handles on the purported story that the Nigeria police Sokoto command secretly arrested and arraigned a woman who lamented on the recent rise in killings in Sokoto for embarrassing Governor Aliyu Ahmed Sokoto. This is false and misleading.
“We wish to make the record straight,
i. On the 3rd of November 2024 at 1700hrs one Marafa Yakubu ‘m’ the village head of Sabon Birnin Daji village in Wurno local government area reported to the police that a woman later identified as one Hamdiyya Sidi ‘f’ of Munki village in Wurno local government area came to the village and deceived him that she is a member of that community representing a charitable organization meant to assist women and youth, that she wanted to address women and distribute relief items to the less privileged in the society.
“To his greatest dismay while she was addressing the women he noticed that rather than distributing relief items as she claimed, she was inciting the women against the government by telling them to forcefully take over government properties in Wammako local government area of Sokoto state, stating that it belongs to them.
“Noticing the tension in the community as a result of her incitement he quickly alerted the community guards who arrested her and handed her over to the police.
“During interrogation, the suspect confessed to the offence and was charged to court within 24hrs for the offence of inciting disturbance.
“One of our constitutional responsibilies is to investigate crimes both simple and capital in nature, to this end, the case of Hamdiyya is no exception.
“Therefore, the Commissioner of police urges all citizens to be wary of the kind of information they throw into the public space and refrain from false and misleading information that could ignite disaffection and disrupt the fragile peace the state is enjoying.”
“Sokoto state police command remains resolute in upholding the fundamental human rights while discharging our duty”, the statement concluded.
