The Inspector-General of Police (I-G), Usman Baba, has assured Nigerians that the police would provide effective security during the 2023 general elections.
Baba also assured that the police would manage any security challenge that may come up before, during and after the election.
The I-G gave the assurance on Wednesday in Kano at the opening of a workshop on election security management for police officers in the North-West zone.
The workshop, organised by the Police and Solar Security and Consult Company Limited, has the theme: “The 2023 General Elections: Enhancing National Security Capacity for a Secure and Credible Electoral Process in Nigeria”.
The I-G was represented by the Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 1, Mr Sadiq Bello.
He said that the participants would be trained on various techniques of managing security challenges during elections.
“We are preparing the minds of the police officers to be ready in confronting security challenges that might come up, so as to ensure a successful election.
“There are a lot of expectations on the police and other security agencies as the election is by the corner.
“Performance of the police has improved, you will believe me that based on the recent election conducted in Ekiti state, there is hope for the country,” he said.
Also speaking, a former I-G, Mr Solomon Arase, expressed confidence that the election would hold in spite of the current security challenges in the country.
“That is why the I-G’s initiatives should be commended. One aspect we are very concerned about is the new Electoral Act, 2022.
“We believe that our officers should be conversant with the provisions of these laws, and most importantly, on the issue of inter-agency collaboration.
“It is true that the police is the lead agency, but we work in cooperation with other security agencies, we want to develop a templates, where our working arrangement will be seamless,” he said.
He said that the participants were expected to step down the training to police officers and men in their commands.
Arase revealed that the I-G had agreed to get the training documents compiled and incorporated into the curriculum of the various police training schools.
“So that it is not any time we have elections we start assembling like this, because election has come to stay,” he said.
Also speaking, the Chairman, Nigeria Union of Journalists (NUJ), Kano State Council, Mr Abbas Ibrahim, assured support of the media in ensuring a hitch free election.
Similarly, Alhaji Habibu Abdullahi of the Special Duties Department, said the state government would continue to support the police and other security agencies in the discharge of their duties.
NAN
