The police in Kano state calmed worries of a possible riot today.
The police were responding to viral videos and audio excerpts that said Muslims in the state were going to get back at the killing of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
According to The Nation, the State Police Command claimed yesterday that they had apprehended the suspect who reportedly spread audio and video clips with words that could cause public disorder and panic among citizens.
The Commissioner of Police Ibrahim Adamu Bakori said in a public alert from the Command yesterday, “The suspect was caught in a sting operation and is now being questioned.”
Police said that the provocative message had been going around on social media and may have caused problems in the state.
“The command takes the inflammatory statement very seriously, and the suspect will face the full force of the law once the investigation is over.”
Bakori added, “The police strongly condemned the creation and dissemination of such materials and warned individuals involved in spreading false or inciting information to desist immediately or face arrest and prosecution.”
The command says that it will not allow any kind of hate speech, incitement, or activities that could lead to violence in the state.
The police told people to stay calm and watchful, and to call the nearest police station if they saw anything strange.
On the other hand, the Kano State administration told people yesterday that the situation is still under control and that there are enough security measures in place to keep the peace.
At a press conference at the police command headquarters, Ibrahim Waiya, the Commissioner for Information, said that the government was working closely with security services to fight false information and keep the peace.
He was worried about how people are using social media more and more to promote false information and harmful content. He said that these actions could hurt people’s reputations and the peace of the state.
Waiya called Kano a cosmopolitan metropolis and the main business center in northern Nigeria. He also said that the government would not allow people to try to destabilize the state by spreading false information or divisive stories.
He told the people that their lives and property are still safe and that the state administration is dedicated to keeping the peace and working more closely with security services.
About the Author
