Curbing Election Violence: IGP Alkali Tasks Police Strategic Commanders on Use of Minimum Force, Respect for Human Rights; As DCPs, ACPs in Charge of Operations Train in Abuja

The Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba on Monday tasked Police officers and members of other security agencies to be deployed for the 2023 elections duty across the nation in five days time, to ensure the application of minimum force and international best practices while confronting elements who are out to scuttle or prevent the elections from holding.

“Our roles as the Nigerian Police which is the lead security agency and others including the military and other security agencies is to ensure that elections hold under a peaceful and conducive atmosphere. We also have to shield the electoral process from those who do not want the election or those who want to sabotage it hence we must take necessary measures across board”, he said.

Speaking at a one day training program on election security management organized for Deputy Commissioners and Assistant Commissioners of Police in charge of Operations heads from all the State’s and Zonal Commands of the force as well as those of other security agencies in Abuja, the IGP noted that in enforcing these measures, officers should apply international best practices and unsure use of minimum force.

Furthermore he said, “Officers should apply the fundamentals of human rights and ensure collaboration with sister security agencies as they will all be working towards the same goal which is a peaceful environment for conduct of hitch free elections for Nigerians to exercise their franchise without let or hindrance.

In a lecture delivered at the occasion titled ‘The Role of the Nigeria Police Force in Curbing Election Violence in Nigeria As It Affects the 2023 General Elections’, Professor Sunday Abogonye Ochoche, a directing staff at the National Institute for Policy and Strategic Studies said, “ In many cases, political groups resort to the use of violence and thuggery in direct attack against the people because they knew they did not have the support of the people. They knew they did not stand a chance in a free and fair competition. They put in place different strategies of illegal inducement, intimidation and brutalization of citizens to scare voters or compel the outcome of election in a particular direction.

He said, “Section 227 of the 1999 Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria provides that: “No association shall retain, organize, train or equip any person or group of persons for the purpose of enabling them to be employed for the use or display of physical force or coercion in promoting any political objective or interest or in such manner as to arouse reasonable apprehension that they are organized and trained or equipped for that purpose.

“Nigeria’s Electoral Act at Section 128, thereof, frowns at any attempt to apply threat or to do so directly or indirectly against anyone involved in an election or to inflict serious injury, damage, harm or by any means whatsoever”

He however regretted that following election violence, “in 2003, it was estimated that at least 100 persons were killed while over 300 people lost their lives to electoral violence 2007, with pre-election violence alone accounting for more than 70 lives. The worst election violence in Nigeria was easily the 2011 general elections when post-election violence led to the death of at least 800 people over three days of rioting in 12 states across northern Nigeria. During and after the general elections in 2015, it was estimated that more than 100 people lost their lives and about 150 people were killed due to violence linked to the national elections of 2019”.

To curb the violence, he said, “The sanctity of the vote and integrity of elections cannot be overemphasized. It is very strategic and a critical national security issue. It is the foundation on which national security and development are founded. This is where and why the place of the Nigeria Police Force is especially crucial.

“The Nigeria Police Act (2020) provides both General and Specific Objectives. The General Objective provides the principles, including the protection of human rights and fundamental freedoms, on which an efficient and effective NPF would perform.

“Section 4 of the Nigeria Police Act (2020) goes on to prescribe the primary function of the NPF as follows: (a) prevent and detect crimes, and protect the rights and freedom of every person in Nigeria as provided in the Constitution, the African Charter on Human and Peoples Rights and any other law; (b) Maintain public safety, law and order; (c) Protect the lives and property of all persons in Nigeria; and many others

“Of particular importance to our subject of discussion is the provision of the very first section of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria (1999): which states that: “The Federal Republic of Nigeria shall not be governed, nor shall any persons or group of persons take control of the Government of Nigeria or any part thereof, except in accordance with the provisions of this Constitution.

“This Section is often understood or interpreted to mean the prohibition of military coups. It definitely does mean that, but it also covers such cases as ascension to power by means of bribery, intimidation, fraud and violence, as argued above by Kurfi. The Constitution does not make such provision for the use of such means. The law prohibits it. Indeed to get to power by bribery, intimidation, fraud and violence may be tantamount to treason.

“The NPF must appreciate the seriousness of its constitutional responsibility. It is a crucial national responsibility. And in carrying out this mandate, it is important to distinguish between national and regime security; allegiance to the nation/constitution on the one hand and that to the government in power on the other. The Electoral Act has a comprehensive listing of offences related to elections. The primary responsibility for protecting the sanctity of the Electoral Act rests with the NPF.

“The impartial operation of the NPF is critical. It is important that the NPF retains the confidence of the people; that they are not under the control of any partisan entity. The integrity of the election touches directly on the stability and progress of the nation. The commitment of the people to obey and support the government of the day, and therefore the volume of work the police has to do, has so much to do with the extent that citizens feel a sense of ownership of the government.”

Other papers delivered at the occasion were ‘Law Enforcement Towards Peaceful, Free and Credible Elections, Nigeria Police to The Rescue’ by AIG Wilson Inalegwu (rtd) and ‘Importance of Intelligence in Election Security Management ‘ by CP Lawrence Alobi (rtd).

AIG Inalgwu said, “The expectations of Nigerians from the Nigerian police Force are always high especially during the general elections. They include the need for officers to be punctual to their duty post and in their best turnout, Maintenances of peaceful environment at all the polling and collating areas. The personnel are required to be fully at alert to response promptly to any situation and the officers must be civil and approachable.

“Also, they (officers) must be professional in their handling of any situation before, during and after the election, they are expected to be fair and impartial in their dealings with all the parties at all times; there must be constant communication between the officers on the field and their superiors in the offices and they officers will have to be careful in the use of force or apply minimum force based on the situation.”

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