2023 Elections Build Up, Police, Solar Security Organised Sensitization Workshop to Officers, Men on Election Security Management
By Madu Mohammed, Maiduguri
As parts of preparation towards 2023,general elections, the Nigerian Police under the leadership of the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Usman Alkali in collaboration with Solar Security and consult Company Limited have organised a sensitization workshop to police officers in the Northeast, on election security.
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 geopolitical zones was meant to acquaint officers the knowledge of elections security management.
Speaking at the Sensitization Workshop, which held at the Grand Pinnacle Luxury Hotels, Maiduguri on Monday, the Former 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”
” This 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 “, the former IGP said.
Mr Arase also said the workshop is also to identify security threats, what are the gap and how can these gap be bridged, in the build up to 2023 general elections.. During the the opening ceremony in Abuja all stakeholders, which includes military, NYSC, DSS 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 in the 2023 general elections.
While commending the office of National Security Adviser and the police for organising the sensitization workshop. Which he described as timely apt, as according to him, it will enrich the knowledge of the officers and men of the police force in election security management.
He said despite the security challenges in Borno state, elections were conducted in 2011,2015 and 2019 and hope and pray the 2023 general elections will be hitch free, free, fair and credible.
In his welcome address, the Borno state commissioner of Police, CP Abdu Umar said “the security agencies are always ready and are in our toes to see that proper security is guaranteed before, during and after the 2023 general elections, that is why we gathered here to identify election security challenges and how we can surmount the challenges”
CP Abdu Umar who was represented by DCP in charge of Investigation Department, Borno state Command, , DCP, Garba Dukun 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 3023 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.
