The National Security Adviser (NSA) Mallam Nuhu Ribadu, says security agencies are putting measures in place to provide secured environment for the conduct of Feb. 3 bye/rerun elections nationwide.
Ribadu, represented by the Director of Internal Security in the Office of the NSA, Hassan Abdullahi, stated this at the Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) meeting on the elections on Tuesday in Abuja.
Ribadu said the security agencies were also working on measures that would uphold the integrity of the electoral processes.
“The President and Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, as always, posited that ability of security agencies to maintain law and order, protect lives, property and ensure safety of voters, electoral officials and candidates is fundamental to the integrity of the electoral process.
“Therefore, in future elections, particularly the forthcoming bye-elections and rerun elections, we must prevent and manage election related violence, intimidation and other security threats so as to uphold the credibility of the process.
“The office of the NSA and security agencies under the platform of ICCES will sustain collaboration with INEC to ensure that elections are conducted in secure and peaceful environment.
“In this regard, the coordination of security operations, deployment of personnel and adoption of proactive security measures will be paramount,” Ribadu said.
He added that the Office of NSA was also coordinating security agencies in strategic management of post electoral conflicts in a bit to holding the legitimacy of the outcomes of the votes.
He said that in addition to proactive communication with plans, measures were also in place for transparent handling of security related issues in shaping public confidence, perception in ICCES and agencies involved.
Ribadu said that learning from the last off-cycle governorship election in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi, the office of the NSA believed that strategic planning for post election security remained crucial in maintaining law and order.
He said such was also important in preventing post election violence and addressing any security challenge that might arise, following the announcement of results.
“Accordingly, we will ensure strategic approach to post election security through contingency planning and rapid response capabilities.
“In conclusion, like in the previous elections in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi , we will ensure adequate provision of resources to members of ICCES to enable them discharge their duties with high sense of responsibility,” he said.
On his part, the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, said the police as a lead agency in election management, would be providing security alongside other security agencies for the elections.
Egbetokun said the police is aware of the challenges associated with the conduct of isolated elections.
“I want to assure Nigerians that we are on top of the situation. We have conducted threat analysis in all the 26 states where elections will take place and we are going to deploy according to the assessments.
“We are also going to deploy adequately and massively for this election, just like we did in the last elections in the Imo, Bayelsa and Kogi.
“I want to assure Nigerians that this election that is coming is going to be conducted peacefully,” he said.
Egbetokun said the police would ensure safety of officials and election materials at the polls and the electorate.
“We are aware of all our responsibilities and we are already planning ahead of this election and we are going to ensure that this election is conducted free and fair,” he said.
