425,106 Security Personnel Sent Out For Elections – IGP

The anti-graft agency will send the fewest number of personnel—350 agents—while the Nigeria Police will send a sizable contingent of 310,973 officers.

425,106 security personnel will be deployed for the presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for Saturday, February 25, 2023, according to Inspector General of Police Usman Alkali Baba.

The IGP stated that the figure does not include Nigerian military personnel during a press conference hosted by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at the National Collation Centre in Abuja.

The Nigerian Police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC), the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), the Nigerian Correctional Service, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), and the Nigeria Immigration Service are among the organisations from which personnel are drawn, according to him.

The anti-graft agency will send the fewest number of personnel—350 agents—while the Nigeria Police will send a sizable contingent of 310,973 officers.

The police chief stated, “425,106 and I have said it agency by agency. There are 310,973 police officers, 51,000 members of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defense, 21,000 members of the Federal Road Safety Corps, 11,336 members of the Nigerian Correctional Service, 9,447 members of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, 350 members of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission, and 21,000 members of the Nigeria Immigration Service.

The “VIP Policing”

The IGP responded that orderlies assigned to Very Important Personalities (VIP) will be removed during the elections when asked how the Force intended to police them.

According to him, the Police anticipate VIPs to forgo using armed bodyguards or orderlies to accompany them to the polling places.

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The police chief advised their orderlies to keep their distance even if they were accompanied to the voting places so that the VIP could cast his or her vote before being led away.

“As in any other election, we anticipate our VIPs will forgo using armed bodyguards or orderlies to accompany them to the polling places.

“Even if they are escorting them, they ought to come to a stop or remain in the background so that the individual can vote and then depart with his advisers.

“We don’t expect our soldiers to be in the voting booths. Our police have been instructed to comply. Our means of communication have also been used to contact those of them who are VIPs.

A Neutrality Oath?

The police chief stated that unlike INEC officials who took an oath of neutrality, police agents taking part in the general elections do not do the same.

He cited the fact that the Nigerian Police’s officers are bound by an existing oath of office and pledge of allegiance as the justification.

He claims that after graduation, both police officers and employees of other security agencies are obliged to uphold the vows.