Nigeria prepare to deploy over 400,000 security personnel for election

Oga pata-pata of di Nigerian police don announce say dem go deploy over 400,000 security personnel for di forthcoming 2023 general elections to ensure smooth conduct of di exercise.

Di Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali-Baba give dis informate as e dey brief tori pipo for State House Abuja on Thursday.

Im briefing na on di level of preparedness of di police for di 25 February and 11 March elections, say dem don put in place operational and tactical measures to ensure say di elections take place.

E say police go deploy "310, 973 personnel wey comprise of conventional policemen, mobile police, special counter-terrorism-unit, special forces, intelligence response team plus oda sections of di police for di election, while di oda security agencies go deploy 93, 495 personnel for di 176, 846 polling units, 8,809 wards and local goments across di federation.

“From Inec records, na 176,846 polling units dey exist for di 8,809 wards for di 36 states plus di federal capital territory, wia dem go conduct elections,” e tok.

Di IGP say “Di Nigeria police, wit support from oda security agencies, don perfect plans to deploy in a coordinated and collaborated manner to cover all locations.

“Di deployment go cover di national collation centre for Abuja as well as oda collation centres across di states of di federation, FCT, and 774 LGAs," Usman Alkali tok.

Breakdown of police plan on security for di election

Di Inspector General of Police explain say dem dey collabo wit di military plus oda security agents to provide beta security for di elections.

Police IG say at least a minimum of two personnel from di agencies go dey deployed to secure each polling unit across di kontri.

Armed personnel go dey deployed to secure di public space, Inec facilities, vulnerable locations, border areas, dem go undertake armed escort duties for Inec personnel, materials plus for local and international observers.

Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIGs) go dey deployed to coordinate operations for di six geopolitical areas.

While di Commissioners of Police go dey deployed to supervise elections for di senatorial zones.

For logistics arrangement, di police chief tok say dem go deploy 74 Armoured Personal Carriers, 37 Water Canon, 200 trucks, 52 patrol carriers, 50 ambulances, 50 buses, motorised crowd control equipment, 300 motorcycles, helicopters, vehicles drones, among odas.

IGP tok plans to tackle threats

Di police chief bin list some threats wey dey against di conduct of the elections like fuel scarcity and cash squeeze but e assure Nigerians say di situation go stabilize before di election start.

E say for di scarcity of money wey dey cause kasala for some parts of di kontri, e say immediate solution na to quickly look into di implementation of some of di measures goment don approve.

Oga Alkali also add say di police don upscale dia activities to tackle oda existing crimes and threats wey fit disrupt di 2023 elections like terrorism and banditry, secessionist campaign by IPOB and wetin e term ‘growing and misguided activities of di Oduduwa nation agitators’ wey also dey attempt distabilize di situation, cyber crimes etc.

Alkali emphasise say dem don put in place one intelligence unit to track and arrest doz wey wan engage in vote buying plus odas wey fit wan disrupt di exercise.