...records 185 major incidents.

By Kingsley Omonobi

The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, on Monday 6th March, 2023, disclosed that a total of two hundred and three (203) offenders linked to various electoral offences and sundry crimes have so far been arrested following the Presidential and national assembly elections which held across the country on Feb. 25, 2023

Furthermore, the IGP noted that about one hundred and eighty-five (185) major incidents were responded to by the Police during the elections, while,eighteen (18) firearms of various Caliber’s were recovered from political thugs during the exercise.

The IGP made the disclosures when he

met with Strategic Police Managers comprising 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 at the Goodluck Jonathan Peacekeeping Hall, Force Headquarters, Abuja to reappraise police security management during the elections.

The meeting is also to identify gaps, and perfect the action plan for the forthcoming March 11th Elections.

A statement by Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Muyiwa Adejobi said the IGP emphasized that the cases are at various stages of investigation at the Nigeria Police Electoral Offences Desks and assures that they will be concluded and processed to the Legal Department of the Independent National Electoral Commission for prosecution.

The IGP also reiterated that the Nigeria Police is committed to evolving pathways to incrementally strengthening the Force’s operational capacity and professional knowledge in navigating through the complex electoral process dynamics to police our democratic heritage and meet the expectations of the electorates.

Similarly, the IGP applauded the high level of resilience, and utmost professionalism displayed by Officers and men of the Nigeria Police 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.

He equally attributed the professionalism of the officers to the various pre-election pieces of training, meticulous planning, massive operational assets procurement and deployment, as well as prioritized welfare.