About 72 hours to the presidential election, President Muhammadu Buhari has instructed security agencies to create a conducive environment to ensure Nigerians are able to exercise their franchise and vote leaders of their choice.
Conveying the President’s directive at the end of the National Security Council meeting, the Inspector General of police, Usman Baba stated that they have equally been directed to provide adequate protection for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) as well as its officials.
He further explained that the combined security agencies currently in Lagos and Abeokuta is a joint operation aimed at stabilising the internal security order, particularly owing to the violence and vandalism occasioned by the naira redesign policy and not targeted at the election.
In the joint briefing, the Attorney General of the Federation and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, also disclosed that the Council expressed satisfaction with the level of preparedness of INEC, maintaining that the elections will hold unfailingly on February 25 and March 11.
The IGP also said the Force is investigating individuals including state governors whose utterances are considered to have incited citizens to riots over the naira redesign policy of the Federal Government.
He also pointed out that although the governors enjoy immunity, it does not stop the police from cautioning, warning or advising them.
