By Harry Awurumibe, Editor, Abuja Bureau
Determined to deal ruthlessly with elements trying to derail Nigeria’s democratic process especially in the North East, South East and South West geopolitical zones, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr. Usman Alkali Baba on Thursday said that no fewer than 404,106 personnel from the Police and other security agencies will be deployed for the conduct of the February 25 and March 11 elections in Nigeria to ensure the smooth conduct of the exercise.
He also said that the Nigerian security agencies are not taking lightly the threat from one Simon Ekpa, who claims to be a member of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) handing down threats from abroad that there will not be elections in South East of Nigeria.
Speaking at the 66th Session of the State House Briefing organized by the Presidential Communications Team at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, the IGP said the threat made by Ekpa against conducting elections in Southeast was an attempt to destabilize the country.
The Police boss said all necessary protocols would be respected as Ekpa was inciting Nigerian citizens from Finland which was outside the country, adding that the Police would change the narrative by ensuring that people see his action of declaring curfew and asking people not to vote in the South East as acts of incitement meant to destabilise the country.
It was reported that Ekpa, who resides in Finland and allegedly being sponsored by some external forces outside the South East and few miscreants within the zone are responsible for the continues lock-down of the economy through the so-called sit-at-home on Mondays and some other designated days.
Alkali Baba whose briefing focused on the plans and processes being put in place by the Nigerian Police under his leadership to ensure a peaceful and secure atmosphere across the Nation, pre-, during, and post- the General Elections scheduled for February and March 2023 respectively, disclosed that Police and sister agencies have everything about security covered.
According to him: “The Force has identified the following major crimes that could negatively impact on the peaceful democratic trajectory.
“We looked at offenses like banditry and terrorism which is majorly located in the North East geopolitical zone, violent secessionist campaigns by elements of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB).
and the Eastern Security Network which has been targeting the symbols of democratic governance including INEC assets, Police stations and personnel, military and other agencies as well as state government officials, and traditional institutions, all in an effort to attain or disrupt the 2023 general election.
“We also have this growing misguided activities of the Oduduwa nation agitators who from intelligent sources of late are attempting to also attempting to destabilize the situation.
“We have this issue of illegal small arms and light weapons trafficking which are being used to bring a lot of problems. We have issues including cyber crimes, cyber bullying, kidnapping and all sort.
“So, generally, the situation as it is against this background, the focus of the force has been to up scale our operational activities to stabilize these situations in order to ensure that the election takes place.
“We have in place certain strategic operational and tactical measures to ensure a peaceful electioneering atmosphere in Nigeria.”
Meanwhile, the Police boss has revealed that, out of the 404,106 security personnel shortlisted by Nigerian security agencies to be involved in the elections, the Police will provide 310,973 personnel while the remainder will be sourced from complementary sister security agencies in the country.
Alkali Baba also said other security besides the Police are the Military and Department of State Service (DSS) as well as para-military outfits like the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Federal Roads Safety Corps (FRSC), Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Nigeria Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and other crime agencies, which he said will compliment the efforts of the Police with a total of 93,133 personnel which will bringing total number to 404, 106 personnel.
Nigeria police will deploy 310,973 personnel for the elections security operations. This will comprise of the conventional policemen, the mobile policemen, the special counterterrorism unit, the special forces, intelligence response team and other sections of the police.
“The manpower requirement for this exercise will be complemented by the military and other security agencies. In this regard, aside the military and the DSS, other security agencies will contribute a total of 93,495 personnel for the election security operations.
“These include the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense, which will deploy, through the Police, 51,000 personnel; the Federal Road Safety Corps, 21,000; Nigerian Correctional Service 11,336; the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, 9,447; Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, 350, totalling 404,106 to police the elections.
“With this layout, a minimum of at least two personnel, drawn from the above agencies, will be jointly deployed to man each of the polling units across the country while the armed personnel will secure the public space, INEC facilities, vulnerable locations, border areas, as well as undertake armed escort duties for INEC personnel, materials and local and international observers.
“We also expect the military to compliment this situation by providing armed protection to critical national assets, ensure that the enforcement of movements are curtailed through the blocking of exit points and entry points to various states, local governments and so forth”, he said.
The IGP however, said an intelligence unit had been put in place to track and apprehend those who might engage in vote buying and others who might want to disrupt the exercise.
“As part of efforts to address the menace of votes selling and buying, a special intelligence unit of the force has been constituted to clandestinely monitor”, he concluded.
