Police Lead Inter-Agency Forum on Election Security in Sokoto

Police Lead Inter-Agency Forum on Election Security in Sokoto

The State Inter-agency Consultative Committe on Election Security for the forthcoming 2023 general elections with the Police as the lead agency, pays courtesy call to the Hon. Chief Judge Sokoto State, Justice Muhammad Sai’du Sifawa. The delegation was led by the Commissioner of Police Sokoto State Command *CP Muhammed Usaini Gumel FIPMA,psc* accompanied by ICCES members who are representatives of all other Security agencies in the State.

The Committee which is the first of it’s kind in the state was set up primarily with mandate of policing and managing the upcoming General Elections is grouped under four (4) key pillars as follows:
i. Ensuring the safety and security of all persons and properties that will be involved in the entire electoral process without bias.
ii. Strict enforcement of the constitution of the federal Republic of Nigeria, the penal code as well as the Electoral laws without fear or favor,
iii. Provision of Security, jointly organizing traffic and crowd management at Poliitical party campaigns, rallies and other activities relating to the elections.
iv. Escalation of Security deployments to occupy public space for crime free and enabling environment for the political campaigns and other components of the electoral process to thrive.

Having stated the mandate of the committee, the Cp further drew the attention of the judiciary to recognize the committee and equally informed the Hon. Chief Judge that, all the security agencies will be working together on election security and management and the committee can never stand alone as it’s a fact that, Law Enforcement Agencies are gates to criminal justice administration and the courts are the ultimate. On this note the committee submitted that it can do better towards supporting INEC to conduct free, fair, transparent and credible elections comes 2023 with honest support of the judiciary.

The Hon. Chief Judge in his response warmly welcomed the Committe members and reassured commitment of the state judiciary towards working with the committee for quick dispensation of justice delivery. Going forward, the CJ pledged to assign special court with mandate to be handling all suspects in cases of electoral offences stressing that all political Thuggery offences will be dealt with decisively and no matter the forces behind it. This decision came after thorough brainstorming by both the Committee and the CJ.

DSP SANUSI ABUBAKAR
Police Public Relations Officer,
Sokoto