The Federal Government has deployed soldiers, DSS operatives, and Civil Defence Corps officers to guard Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) offices across the country.
WITHIN NIGERIA reports that the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, announced this during a meeting with the chairmen of political parties on Thursday at the Force headquarters in Abuja.
The Police Commissioner also stated that police officers and Federal Fire Service personnel have been dispatched to protect INEC assets across the country.
Baba claimed that the deployment was in response to last week’s attacks on the Electoral Commission’s offices in Ogun and Osun States, as well as a wave of political violence in Borno, Kaduna, and Zamfara states.
He stated that security agencies had been directed to improve intelligence gathering, sharing, and utilization in order to combat political violence in the country.
Baba also stated that security personnel would take decisive legal action against perpetrators of hate speech, incitement to violence, thugs mobilization, and other violations.
He said;
On our part, and as an outcome of the ICCES meeting, the Nigeria Police Force working in collaboration with other security agencies have resolved to enhance intelligence gathering, share and utilise same to stem acts of political violence; upscale the deployment of security teams to all INEC assets and facilities nationwide with teams drawn from the police, Nigerian Army, Department of State Services, Nigeria Civil and Security Defence Corps and the Federal Fire Service to take decisive lawful action against purveyors of hate speech, incitement to violence, mobilisation of thugs and other violations, including the prompt arrest, investigation, and prosecution of offenders in line with the provisions of Sections 92 and 93 of the Electoral Act 2022 as amended.
The IGP revealed that suspects have been arrested in connection with the political violence which has assumed an increasing dimension in recent weeks.
Baba further declared that those already arrested would face prosecution.