Reported by: Ijeoma G | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Bauchi State Police Command on Saturday, September 19, 2026, announced the arrest of 47 armed persons found at polling units during the State House of Assembly bye-election in Disina State Constituency, Shira Local Government Area. The suspects, who claimed to be members of a state-owned security outfit, were arrested by police operatives deployed for election duty. Firearms and other dangerous weapons, including cutlasses and sticks, were recovered from them. The arrests came despite an earlier warning issued by the command on September 17, 2026, prohibiting state-owned security outfits, quasi-security agencies, private security guards, and vigilante groups from participating in election security coverage. Only statutorily recognised security agencies under the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security were authorised to provide security for the polls in Disina and Sakwa State Constituencies.
The Police Public Relations Officer, SP Nafiu Habib, disclosed the arrests in a statement, saying the suspects were found within polling units in possession of guns, cutlasses, and sticks, in contravention of the Electoral Act and the security directives earlier issued. "Following our deployment for election duty in Disina State Constituency, Shira LGA, 47 operatives claiming to be members of a state-owned security outfit were arrested within polling units," Habib said. "They were found in possession of guns, cutlasses and sticks, in contravention of the Electoral Act and the security directives earlier issued." The suspects were immediately taken into custody, and the firearms and other dangerous weapons were kept as exhibits.
The Commissioner of Police, Bauchi State Command, CP Sani-Omolori Aliyu, condemned what he described as a blatant disregard for lawful directives and an attempt to undermine the electoral process. He directed that the suspects be transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department in Bauchi for discreet investigation and prosecution in accordance with the law. The command reiterated its commitment to ensuring a peaceful, credible, and hitch-free bye-election, warning that any person or group, regardless of status, who attempts to disrupt the electoral process or cause a breach of peace will be dealt with in accordance with the law. It also urged members of the public to remain law-abiding and report suspicious activities to the police.
In a separate but related development, the police arrested four armed persons at a polling unit in Disina State Constituency with eight firearms, including five AK-47 rifles. The suspects were intercepted during an intelligence-led operation by personnel deployed for election security. According to Habib, the suspects were found with five AK-47 rifles, one G3 rifle, one pistol, a long-range tear gas and smoke gun launcher, and a sharp knife. Preliminary investigation indicated that the suspects were mobilised to disrupt the electoral process and cause a breach of peace in the area. The suspects and recovered exhibits were also transferred to the State Criminal Investigation Department for discreet investigation and prosecution.
The arrests exposed a troubling dimension of Nigeria's electoral security challenges. The presence of armed men posing as legitimate security operatives at polling units raises serious questions about the integrity of the electoral process and the safety of voters. The fact that the suspects were carrying military-grade weapons, including AK-47 rifles, suggests a level of organisation and resourcing that goes beyond ordinary political thuggery. It points to a deliberate attempt to intimidate voters, disrupt voting, and potentially alter the outcome of the election through force. The police's swift action prevented what could have been a violent disruption of the polls, but the incident has left many wondering how such a large group of armed men could have been mobilised in the first place and who was behind them.
The political context of the bye-election adds another layer of complexity. The Disina seat became vacant after the lawmaker representing the constituency resigned to contest a local government chairmanship position. The Sakwa seat became vacant following the death of its former occupant. The election in Disina was keenly contested, with the All Progressives Congress candidate, Yakubu Ali, emerging victorious with 5,846 votes. The Peoples Redemption Party candidate, Alhaji Rilwanu Galadiman Disina, finished third with 3,701 votes. In Sakwa, the Allied Peoples Movement candidate, Adamu Yakubu, won with 8,515 votes. The results were declared by the Independent National Electoral Commission, but the violence and the arrests cast a shadow over the credibility of the exercise.
The Bauchi State Government also weighed in on the developments, with Deputy Governor Mohammed Auwal Jatau demanding the immediate release of three persons he alleged were arrested by security operatives during the bye-election. The Deputy Governor, who monitored the exercise in Zaki and Disina, expressed concern over the arrest of persons believed to be supporters of the Allied Peoples Movement, describing the actions of the security personnel as heavy-handed. He noted that the security personnel involved appeared to be new to the state and urged them to exercise restraint. The police have not publicly responded to the Deputy Governor's demand, but the incident has highlighted the tension between the state government and federal security agencies over the conduct of elections.
The recovery of five AK-47 rifles and the arrest of 47 armed men at polling units is a stark reminder of the dangers that continue to threaten Nigeria's democracy. Elections in many parts of the country have become battlegrounds where armed groups, political thugs, and unscrupulous actors seek to manipulate outcomes through violence and intimidation. The police in Bauchi deserve credit for their vigilance and for acting on intelligence to prevent a potentially catastrophic disruption of the polls. But the broader problem remains. Until the root causes of electoral violence are addressed, including the impunity enjoyed by political sponsors of thuggery and the proliferation of small arms, Nigerian elections will continue to be held under a cloud of fear and insecurity.
For the voters of Disina and Sakwa, the presence of armed men at polling units was a terrifying reminder of the fragility of their democratic rights. They came out to vote, only to find themselves confronted by individuals who had no business being there, carrying weapons designed for war, not for protecting voters. The police have promised to prosecute the suspects and to ensure that those behind them are brought to justice. That promise must be kept. The integrity of Nigeria's electoral process depends on it.
The events in Bauchi also raise questions about the role of state-owned security outfits in elections. The police had explicitly warned that such outfits, along with quasi-security agencies and vigilante groups, were not permitted to participate in election security coverage. Yet, the suspects arrested were allegedly claiming to be members of a state-owned security outfit. Whether their claim was true or false, the fact that they believed they could operate with impunity suggests a broader problem of accountability and oversight. The police and other security agencies must ensure that only authorised personnel are deployed for election duty and that any attempt to impersonate security operatives is met with the full weight of the law.
As the investigation continues, the people of Bauchi State will be watching closely. They want to see that the 47 suspects are prosecuted, that the sponsors of the illegal security operation are identified and held accountable, and that the lessons of this near-miss are learned. The alternative is a continued erosion of public confidence in the electoral process and a deepening of the insecurity that has already claimed too many lives in Nigeria. The police have done their part in making the arrests. The rest is up to the justice system and the political class. For now, the voters of Disina and Sakwa can breathe a sigh of relief that their votes were counted and their voices were heard. But the spectre of armed men at polling units will haunt them for a long time to come.
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