By Abdallah el-Kurebe, Editor
Security agencies in Sokoto state are putting checks on the use of armed youths as political thugs during electioneering.
For the first time in several years, campaigns conducted on Saturday by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in Wurno and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in Bodinga, the youths were seen with no arms.
Newsdiaryonline sighted a couple of arrests by security agents at the venue of PDP campaign rally in Bodinga.
Operatives from the newly launched Operation Python Dance and the Nigeria Police were seen going round the venue in search of those who could not hid the warning against carrying arms at campaign rallies.
At previous rallies of both parties prior to Saturday’s electioneering, supporters who are mostly youths would be seen brandishing swords, axes, knives and other kinds of weapons in the eyes of the party leaders and security agencies.
However, the probable intervention of Operation Python Dance has seemingly brought an end to the threats by those armed youths, which in some cases had resulted in loss of lives, especially where armed supporters of different parties clash.
While the APC held its rally in Wurno and Rabah, the PDP held its own in Bodinga town of Bodinga local government area of the state with security personnel stationed at strategic position to avert any crisis.
It could be recalled that the team of the Operation Python Dance arrested handful of suspected political thugs after they destroyed bill boards and other public properties in the state.
