BENIN CITY- Ahead of 2023 general elections, a one-day sensitisation workshop on elections security management has been organised for police officers in the south-south geo-political zone of Nigeria.
The training organised by the Nigeria Police Force under the leadership of the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Usman Baba Alkali in collaboration with Solar Security and Consult Company Ltd, held in Benin City, Edo State capital on August 25, 2022.
The workshop tagged “The 2023 General Elections: Enhancing National Security Capacity For A Secured And Credible Electoral Process In Nigeria”, acquainted officers with the requisite knowledge of elections security management.
IGP Usman Baba Alkali said the event was apt and one of its kind which would serve as train the trainer course.
The IGP represented by the Assistant Inspector-General of Police, Zone 5, AIG Lawan Tanko Jimeta stated this while declaring the workshop opened.
Earlier, IGP, Solomon Arase rtd, said that the workshop is designed for security personnel who will be involved in the planning, coordination, supervision and general operations in the 2023 general elections.
He stated that the workshop was necessitated by the realisation that in the past there have been concerns within and outside the country on the conducts of law enforcement agencies during elections in Nigeria.
“It is projected that the workshop will broaden the knowledge and sharpen the professional capacity of security agents on election security functions and act as a veritable forum for perfecting the operational coordination process among all security agents across the country”, IGP, Solomon Arase, (rtd), noted.
The former police chief further stated that the long term objectives of the initiative were among others, to facilitate attainment of a credible electoral process, entrench democratic values and strengthen national security.
He maintained that similar workshop have been organised for other security officers in parts of the country.
“We started with an opening ceremony in Abuja, we also conducted a training in the North Central also in Abuja. We then moved to Kano where we conducted a similar workshop.
“We have been to Borno, we have been to Enugu in the southeast, it is the turn of the south-south geo-political zone, that, we are holding in Benin City today.
“It is my fervent hope that the knowledge will be impacted by the faculty of resource persons that have been put together will enrich your professional capacity going to the general elections”, the former IGP assured.
In their various goodwill massages, the Edo State Commissioner of Police, CP Abutu Yaro, the Brigade Commander, 4 Mechanised Brigade, Nigeria Army, Benin City, Brig-Gen Danlami Ndahi represented by Lt.Col Temitope Ogunlade and the representative of the Oba of Benin, Chief Henry Osato Bazuaye among others expressed delight in the workshop.
They described the workshop as apt especially as Edo State prepares to conduct its local government election next February.
While wishing participants a fruitful outing, they enjoined the police to always leave above board as a lead security agency in providing desired security during and after elections in Nigeria.
