'Nigeria Police Force well prepared to provide security during 2023 elections" - IGP

'Nigeria Police Force well prepared to provide security during 2023 elections" - IGP

 

 

 

The Inspector General of Police IGP Usman Baba has assured that the 2023 general elections  will be well policed to ensure a fair and fair election .

The IGP who was represented by the Deputy Inspector General of Police Force criminal Investigation department FCID  South West   DIG Johnson Kukumo gave this assurance during the opening ceremony of the Police Public Relationship Officers conference taking place at Ibadan Oyo state today .IGP  Baba said there was no need for fear as the police in collaboration with sister security agencies have  shown professionalism and commitment in the course of previous elections and the 2023 elections will also be a huge success.

The police conference which has the theme " strengthening  strategic communication towards police reforms, security and intergrity of 2023 election  was deemed necessary  as the country prepares for another election next year.

IGP Baba while urging public Relations Officers to ensure that they  have good public perception stated that the police will continue to engage in reforms that will be in tandem with international  best practices

 

He said '" The 2023 election in Nigeria will hold. Nigeria Police Force in synergy and corporation with other sister security agencies will ensure a free, fair, credible and transparent elections. I make bold about this because we have done it before. People raise doubts and fear weather election will hold in Edo State. The election was peaceful, free of rancour in Edo State.  There was palpable fear if Anambra state election would hold but it  was a huge success, same with Ekiti and Osun states. There may be doubt that these  were staggered elections and we have to look at how  we can do same for a general election but we are strategic in our thinking and actions with the sister security agencies. Therefore there is no cause for fear. Moreso, with the introduction of the BVAS by INEC and the introduction of the electoral bills that gives more prosecuting  power to INEC’’

Admonishing the police public relations officers to be good image makers , the IGP said " police public relations officers are image makers and in the course of making image, there is alot of things involved. You either make an image that is positive or an image that have consequences on your agencies or organisation. You become the good PRO  only if you can create an image that is  positive on your organization or agencies you are representing . Outside that, it is expected that PRO should be good communicator

 The minister of information and Culture Alhaji Lai Mohammed who was represented by the Director of production, publication and documentation, Mr. Ibidapo Okunnu delivering the keynote address at the conference commended the police force for organizing the conference

He said ‘’  There is a need to adequately prepare our officers that will be producing content and disseminating information to the general public on some security aspects of the  conduct of the election. I wish like to commend the leadership of the Force for coming up with this conference at a time like this as it shows how proactive the leadership of the force is and their patriotic desire to ensure the orderly conducts of the election while maintaining security and the integrity of the police force. The theme of the conference is apt and most appropriate is deploying appropriate communication strategy at a time like this as a necessary tool for achieving peace and security”

In his welcome address, the spokesperson for the Nigeria Police Force , CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi stated   ‘’ it is important to know that whatever you want to achieve in life centres on words .  For us to have peaceful coexistence in Nigeria, it is going to be premised on our ability to communicate and relate with one another, to live like a family in Nigeria .