Usman Baba, the Inspector General of Police, claimed that the operations of terrorists, bandits, and members of the Eastern Security Network and the Indigenous People of Biafra, both of which are banned, portend a challenge for the general election in 2023.
This was said by the IGP on Friday during a press conference in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory.
He said, “Activities of bandits, terrorists, and secessionists and self-actualisation elements popularly known as IPOB or ESN still remain a challenge.”
According to Baba, the election on February 25, 2023, will be complicated by political violence as well as intra- and inter-party conflicts.
Read Also: Court Upholds Judgement Banning Inec From Using Mc Oluomo
He claimed that ongoing attacks by “subversive and anti-democratic elements” on the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) facilities continue to be a problem.
According to Baba, no quasi-security organization, such as the Benue Guards or the Amotekun Corps in the South-West or the Ebubeagu in the South-East, will be permitted to take part in the election on Saturday.
The IGP stated, “However, I have issued a directive that no quasi-security organisation is to be involved in policing the political process.”
He reaffirmed the police’s commitment to ensuring free and fair elections.
On the difficulties the police are facing before the general elections, Baba said, “Much as the Nigerian Police has perfected plans to engender a peaceful electoral process, the following have been identified as possible challenges.
“They are with us, and we will continue to manage it. For us to manage these challenges, we have upscaled our operations and therefore believe that we have conditioned the atmosphere more than before.
“In other words, our analysis of the crime situation in Nigeria has dropped drastically compared to what we have recorded as crime and criminality in the last one month.”
The 2023 presidential election hold tomorrow and Nigerians will decide who their next president will be.