The Police Command in Kano State, said it had uncovered plans by some religious and political pressure groups to disrupt the Eid-el-Fitri festivities in the state.

The Commissioner of Police, Usaini Gumel, disclosed this while addressing newsmen after a meeting with traditional, religious leaders and senior police officers on Monday in Kano.Gumel assured the people of the command’s readiness to maintain law and order during and after the festival.“The command is aware of plans by some identified religious and political pressure groups to pressurise the State Government to disregard the ongoing  judicial processes  before the Court on Sheikh Abduljabbar Nasiru Kabara.

“The plans that have been uncovered show that their aim is to disrupt the Sallah activities, the existing peace in the state and to embarrass the State Government,” he said.

He said that the command has strengthened security with increased surveillance around the locations where the elements would gather, especially Kofar Nassarawa, Kofar Mata, Kofar Wambai and Kofar Kudu.

“We are aware of all these and we are fully ready to decisively deal with this ill-fated decision unless the planners change for the better.

“The sponsors of this plan are also being closely watched, they are advised to desist forthwith as security agencies are following up and trailing them.

“The planners would be arrested and made to face the full wrath of the Law,”the commissioner said.

He said that in addition to physical security, the command had deployed plain cloth security personnel across the five Emirates of Kano, Bichi, Gaya, Rano and Karaye.He urged traditional and religious leaders to do more by sensitising the people to the need to offer information to the police on the movement of dubious characters.Gumel said such information would enable the officers and men of the command, to adequately implement the security arrangements covering the entire period of the festivities.

He said the police would continue to collaborate with other security agencies, and critical stakeholders to ensure hitch-free festivities in the state.

Gumel advised the people of the state not to panic as their safety would be guaranteed before, during and after the festivities.

“We are also appealing to members of the public to cooperate and offer useful actionable intelligence reports to our officers deployed in various parts of our areas of supervision for the success of the operation,” he said.

Gumel said that the Area commanders and divisional Police officers have been directed to contain any security threat to residents in their areas.

He said that sufficient personnel had also been mobilised to provide security at all the praying grounds across the state.

The commissioner said that the police would continue to adopt the necessary security measures that will see to the arrest and prosecution of miscreants.