By SADIQ ABUBAKAR, Maiduguri –
Ahead of the 2023 general elections, the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) in collaboration with Solar Security and Consult Company Limited have organized a one day sensitization workshop for police officers in the North East on election security management
The workshop with the theme ” 2023 General Elections- Enhancing National Security Capacity for a Secured and Credible Electoral Process in Nigeria for Law Enforcement Agencies in 6 geo-political zones of the country, was organized to acquaint the police officers with the appropriate knowledge on elections security management.
In his key note address in Maiduguri on Monday, the former Inspector General of Police (IGP), Solomon Arase said, “this workshop is an initiative of the IGP, Usmsn Alkali , he felt that his officers and men are doing well in election security management but 2023 general elections will be more challenging”
” The workshop is apt and timely, as it will acquaint officers and men with new electoral law and how they relate with other security agencies and other stakeholders, as well as mental and physical well being of officers and men deployed for elections security management “, Arase said.
The former IGP also said that the workshop was further aimed at identifying security threats, the gaps and how can these gaps be bridged in the build up process for the 2023 general elections.
He also disclosed that, during the the opening ceremony of the workshop in Abuja, all the security stakeholders, which includes military, DSS, NSCDC, etc were in attendance.
Also speaking, the Borno State Governor, represented by the State Acting Attorney General, Barrister Hussaini Izghe , urged the security agencies to maintain neutrality during the 2023 general elections.
While commending the office of the National Security Adviser (NSA) to the President and the police for organizing the sensitization workshop, Mr. Arase described the workshop as timely, stressing that, it will also enrich the knowledge of the officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force in election security management.
He said despite the security challenges in Borno State, elections were conducted in 2011, 2015 and 2019 while expressing optimism that the 2023 general elections will be hitch free, fair and credible.
Earlier in his welcome address, the Borno State Commissioner of Police, CP Abdu Umar sai: “the security agencies are always ready and on their toes to see that proper security is guaranteed before, during and after the 2023 general elections.
CP Umar explained that the essence of the security workshop is to identify election security challenges and profer solutions on how to surmount these challenges”
The police commissioner, who was represented by DCP Garba Dukun in charge of Investigation Department, Borno State Command, said security challenges are dynamics, as such there is need for training and retraining to surmount the changing trends.
In his goodwill message, the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Magaji Ibrahim said: “As we are preparing for the 2023 general elections, we have to see that our electoral value chain and what are the gaps, how we can address them, especially election security.”
” Election security is very important, as without security it is very difficult to conduct any election, that is why we are conducting this sensitization workshop to see that our security agencies and the general public are enlighten on what they expected before, during and after the 2023 general elections “, Ibrahim added.
Also the representative of the Civil Society Organization (CSO), Mrs Lucy Yunana said the workshop was timely as 2023 general elections is around the corner and commended the IGP for the initiative.
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