From Molly Kilete, Abuja
The Inspector General of Police (IGP) yesterday met with heads of security agencies in Abuja, to brainstorm on the way forward for a free, fair and credible elections next year.
The meeting, which was held at the police force headquarters, had in attendance members of the armed forces, the police, Department of State Services, Nigerian Immigration Service, Nigerian Customs Service, Civil Defence, Nigerian Correctional Service, Federal Fire Service and National Intelligence Agency, among other security agencies in the country.
In his address at the occasion, the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, said the meeting was aimed at deepening inter-agency collaborative initiatives towards guaranteeing secure electioneering processes for the 2023 general elections.
The IGP, in a statement signed by the Force Public Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Olumiyiwa Adejobi, emphasised the need to enhance actionable intelligence gathering and sharing, coordinated operations, and adequate deployment of personnel and resources by all relevant security agencies and stakeholders in the election process.
The statement reads: “The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, in line with the commitment of President Muhammadu Buhari, to leave a legacy of a deepened democratic system and credible electoral process, has engaged in tactical meetings and conferences with various stakeholders, to build solid standard operating procedure and strategic communication action plan geared towards having a seamless electoral process for the 2023 general elections.
In furtherance of the IGP’s critical plans in actualising free, fair, and credible elections in Nigeria, a strategic meeting with all heads of operations of national security agencies in the country, was held at the instance of the IGP, on Tuesday, December 13, 2022, at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, to further deepen inter-agency collaborative initiatives towards guaranteeing secure electioneering processes for the 2023 general elections.
At the meeting, the IGP emphasised the need to enhance actionable intelligence gathering and sharing, coordinated operations, and adequate deployment of personnel and resources by all relevant security agencies and stakeholders in the election process.”