Indiscriminate Hoisting Of Party Flags Banned In Borno

The Police in Borno State on Wednesday warned political parties to
restrict the hoisting of their party flags to their secretariat.

In a press statement signed by the Public Relations Officer of the
Borno State Police Command, Gideon Jibrin, the hoisting of political
parties flags at median of roads and roundabouts, and other public
places remain outlawed.

He asked political parties to restrict the hoisting of their flags to
their secretariats and also desist from hoisting them at public
structures.

Jubrin lamented that the indiscriminate hoisting of parties flags has
seriously "defaced" all the roads and streets of Maiduguri metropolis,
the state capital.

The police spokesman, who called affected political parties to remove
such flags from the roads and streets immediately, warned that:
"Whoever is found defacing the environment will be arrested for
possible prosecution."

The statement further read: "This manner of politicking is not a good
dimension to emulate. It is good to introduce certain measures that
can make our democracy work and not to litter everywhere with flags of
political parties.

"This is an era for political parties to demonstrate their popularity
and sell their candidates to the citizenry in the state, but this
should be done with decorum, decency and maturity."

He reminded the political parties that: "It is pertinent to note that
flag is not the same as posters. It is a symbol of a political party
like the Nigerian green white green flag hoisted in Government
Offices/Establishment. Politicians should therefore hoist their flags
only in their offices and secretariats."

He said: "Henceforth, hoisting of parties' flags everywhere in the
state will no longer be tolerated. Politicians who are in this habit
should desist from it and also warn their party members to remove such
flags from the roads/streets within the metropolis, and whoever is
found defacing the environment will be arrested for possible
prosecution."