Barely hours to the presidential and NASS polls, the Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, said that the activities of terrorists, bandits, and members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra, IPOB and the Eastern Security Network, ESN portend a challenge for the 2023 general elections.
The IGP stated this at a media briefing in Abuja, the Federal Capital Territory on Friday.
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, political thuggery as well as intra and inter-party crises also pose a challenge to the February 25, 2023 poll, while adding that continuous attacks on facilities of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by “subversive and anti-democratic elements” still remain a challenge.
Meanwhile, the IGP said no quasi-security organisation like Amotekun Corps in the South-West, Ebubeagu in the South-East or the Benue Guards will be allowed to participate in Saturday’s poll.
The IGP stated, “However, I have issued directive that no quasi-security organisation is to be involved in policing the political process.”
However, the inspector general of police restated the commitment of the police to ensure free and fair polls.
On the challenges faced by the police ahead of 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.”