2023: No Private Security Outfit, Vigilante will Police Elections – Force PRO

2023: No Private Security Outfit, Vigilante will Police Elections – Force PRO

The Police hierarchy has warned private security outfits to stay away from the upcoming general elections to avoid embarrassment.

Speaking to journalists at an election security briefing organized by PRNigeria on Wednesday in Abuja, the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies are taking the charge of President Muhammadu Buhari seriously and will deliver as mandated.

President Buhari had while commissioning some Police assets on Monday looked into the eyes of the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, and other security chiefs and said: “All eyes are on you,” adding that the future of the country’s democracy depends on the peaceful conduct of the upcoming general elections.

Taking a cue from the President’s charge, the police spokesman said the synergy among the security operatives ahead of the elections is unparalleled, commending the Chief of Defence Staff, Gen. Lucky Irabor, for the leadership he is providing to the security agencies.

“The CDS is providing a lot of leadership and I am happy this time around security agencies are working together. I want to commend the efforts of the CDS. He encourages us a lot and he is everywhere, working round the clock to ensure we give Nigerians the peaceful atmosphere to exercise their voting rights,” he said.

Emphasizing that only the Police, the military, and other sister security agencies will be recognized to ensure safety and security during the polls, the Force image maker said that no other local or unofficial security outfit will be allowed to move as there will be strict restrictions on movement on the election days.

He encouraged Nigerians to move within a few metres of their polling units so they can easily trek to go and vote as cars may not be allowed to cover kilometers even for the purpose of voting.

“So we are working together, we are collaborating for us to have proper security for elections. The Military is coming in to support us but there will be no provision for private security outfits. We believe that if we have proper restrictions on the movement we are 80 percent successful in that election. The movement will be restricted in and out of the states, even those that have immunity are not expected to move out so you will not move out during elections.

“The second thing is that there will be security at the polling units to give cover to those voting. We have designed it and the federal government is trying that all officers on the streets are given allowances and even food so that no politician will be able to tempt them to do their bidding. The IGP is working hard to ensure officers and men are well taken care of.

“I want to tell Nigerians to take it from us and we will make sure we have a secure election. We will be out there to maintain the peace and not to harass anyone,” he added.

He also called on the media to weed out the bad eggs in the profession who are responsible for the fake news, misinformation, and propaganda that are unhealthy for the polity.

While presenting the PRNigeria‘s report, Abdulsalam Mahmud, lead speaker of the press conference, explained that the Strength, Weaknesses, Opportunities, and Threats, SWOT, Analysis of the major presidential candidates in the forthcoming elections were carried out with a view to ensuring relevant security agencies are informed about the frontline candidates’ profiles.

Mahmud, who is also the Deputy Editor of PRNigeria, noted: “As part of PRNigeria‘s commitment to helping entrench Nigeria’s democratic space, through in-depth analysis of socio-economic issues and political events shaping the 2023 polls, we recently undertook a field trip to some States, across the country.

“The research study also identified States across the federation where political violence may erupt if proactive measures are not taken by security agencies and other relevant stakeholders.”

On his part, Mukhtar Ya’u Madobi, co-presenter of the PRNigeria‘s report, observed that the rash of unscientific opinion polls and partisan projections have heightened public anxiety and influenced extreme optimism among candidates and their supporters, which could undermine national security

Madobi, who is the author of the “National Security Strategies- Ayoung Writer’s Perspectives” further disclosed that due to the naira crunch, the general elections may witness cashless vote-buying/trading where electorates would have free tickets after voting to obtain goods and services from retailing outlets.

While pointing out that ruling parties in some states have perfected plans to ensure victories for their candidates at all costs, Mukhtar Madobi said the report lamented the disturbing ethnocentric and religious sentiments in political campaigns have further created fear of potential violence during and after the election.

The report also added that since some electorates are of the view that their votes do not really count, either rightly or wrongly on the assumption that the outcomes of most elections are pre-determined, voter apathy may still be an issue in some places.

The report also commended the Nigerian security agencies for deliberately choosing to remain neutral, fair, and apolitical in the build-up to the forthcoming general elections.

Earlier in his remarks, the Managing Director of Image Merchants Promotion Limited, Publishers of PRNigeria, Mallam Yushau Shuaib said that the major respondents of the report were in the media industry and the security sector who were more relevant to the study.

He also pointed out that the comprehensive report was submitted to relevant security services/agencies including the sensitive components of likely security threats in the event some of the notable candidates lose in the elections. He added that the abridged version was only presented at the press conference for awareness purposes.

The press conference was also attended by representatives of the military, security, and intelligence services.

The report titled “2023 Elections: SWOT Analysis of Major Presidential Candidates and Security Matters,” was produced with support from the Wole Soyinka Centre for Investigative Journalism (WSCIJ), under the Collaborative Media Engagement for Development Inclusivity and Accountability Project (CMEDIA) funded by the MacArthur Foundation.

By PRNigeria