Usman Baba, the Inspector-General of Police, has disclosed that following the arrest of 203 electoral offenders during the presidential and National Assembly elections held on Saturday, February 25, 2023, police documented and responded to 185 major events.
He added that the investigations into the cases are currently in varying levels at the Nigeria Police Electoral Offences Desks and that they will be finished and forwarded to the Independent National Electoral Commission's Law Department for prosecution as soon as possible.
The information was revealed by the police chief on Monday during a meeting with strategic police managers at the Goodluck Jonathan Peacekeeping Hall, Force Headquarters, Abuja, which included Deputy Inspectors-General of Police and members of the Force Management Team, Assistant Inspectors-General of Police, Commissioners of Police, and heads of tactical investigative and operational units of the Force.
He similarly ascribed the officers' professionalism to the varied pre-election training, planning, acquisition, and deployment of enormous operational assets, as well as the emphasis on welfare.
In this regard, Baba stated that of the roughly 185 major incidents that the police responded to across the nation during the elections, a total of 203 offenders linked to various electoral offenses and other crimes have thus far been apprehended, while not less than 18 firearms of various descriptions were recovered from political thugs during the exercise.
"All the cases are under investigation at different stages at the Nigeria Police Electoral Offences Desks, but I guarantee you that they will soon be finished and sent to the Independent National Electoral Commission's Law Department for prosecution."
The purpose of the conference, according to the police head, was to debrief personnel assigned to supervise election security, evaluate how well they performed at the February 25 Presidential and National Assembly elections, spot any holes, and finalize the action plan for the upcoming March 11 elections.
"This is to draw on their practical experiences for informed feedback that will enable us in evaluating our operating performance and spotting logistical holes and other potential difficulties," he continued.
"The second is to evaluate the state of security at all levels in the immediate aftermath of the elections on February 25, 2023. To identify trends and patterns in the post-election security environment and to draw conclusions about potential threats that might need to be mitigated before the upcoming rounds of the national election process on March 11, 2023.
"The third focus of this election security review conference is to draw on our rich and diverse professional experiences in perfecting our Action Plan for the upcoming Governor and State Assembly Elections, and to ensure a stable internal security order prior to the electoral exercise across the country," says the conference's agenda.
Baba remarked that the initial step was to make sure that the tension that the recent presidential and national assembly elections' process and results produced is reduced proactively and effectively enough to prevent a national security breach and a detrimental effect on the nation's democratic achievements.
The Lagos State CP, Idowu Owohunwa, met with stakeholders to reduce violence, and he urged all CPs to take his lead.
"This is more so because some unpatriotic forces have been trying to negatively use social media to disseminate fake news, videos, and other materials with the sole intention of igniting the political scene, stoking political animosity, and igniting the national security space," Baba stated.
"In order to defuse this tension, I want to draw attention to the initiative taken by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, who recently organized a meeting with all relevant stakeholders. By using a consultative approach, he was able to rally the public and key stakeholders in creating a united front to promote peace and address the state's post-election security threats and apprehension.
I hereby direct all the CPs throughout the 36 States of the Federation and the FCT to return to their Commands and replicate the same initiative on or before Thursday, March 9 2023 as part of efforts to ensure peace prior to the March 11, 2023 elections, drawing on the success of this strategy in Lagos State.
He also warned parents and guardians to make sure their kids and wards avoid the impulse to be enlisted as cannon fodder or destabilizing agents to sabotage the country's election.
"Under my supervision, the Nigeria Police will be merciless toward such people and their sponsors," he declared. To be warned is to be armed, as is frequently remarked.
"At this point in our country's development, I also want to make a plea to media professionals to show patriotism and always prioritize national security concerns over all other factors. This puts a responsibility on them to fight the impulse to spread false information and undermine public safety via their platforms.
The IG further applauded what he referred to as a high level of resilience, and utmost professionalism displayed by officers and men of the NPF as well as other security agencies in the course of the election security operations in line with the Reviewed Standard Operational Guidelines and Rules for Police Officers and Other Security Agents on Electoral Duties which was issued to all officers in the countdown to the election operations.
Baba reiterated that the NPF was committed to evolving pathways to incrementally strengthen its operational capacity and professional knowledge in navigating through the complex electoral process dynamics to police our democratic heritage and meet the expectations of the electorate.