A total of N64 billion has been approved for the Nigeria Police Force as operations fund for security management for the forthcoming general elections.
This is as the Force Headquarters has dispatched anti-riot weapons, water cannons and Armoured Personnel Carriers, among others, to the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory to ensure watertight security during the elections.
Police sources confirmed to The Tide source that all the commands and formations across the country had got their share of the arms and ammunition unveiled by the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, in Abuja.
The sources, however, noted that the total number received by each command and formation could not be disclosed for security reasons.
One of the sources said, “The HQ has deployed all the anti-riot weapons, water cannons, APCs, and other arms and ammunition in all the 37 commands and police formations in preparation for the elections.”
Another source said, “We have got the arms and ammunition, including water cannons, APCs and anti-riot weapons, and we’re fully prepared for the election security management. But we can’t declare the total number that we got for security reasons.”
Our source reports that N2.98 trillion was provisioned for the police, military, intelligence and paramilitary services as recurrent and capital expenditures for defence and security in the 2023 approved budget to tackle insecurity, which represents 13.4 per cent of the entire N21.83 trillion budget.
The N64 billion police operations fund for the elections was contained in the N21.83 trillion budget approved by the National Assembly and signed into law by President Muhammadu Buhari on Tuesday, January 3, 2023.
Meanwhile, the Force Headquarters has confirmed the deployment of the equipment and given assurance of security before, during and after the elections.
It also noted that it had continued to deploy adequate personnel to ensure security during political activities, as political parties demand more police presence at campaign venues.
The Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said, “There is no cause for alarm as we have shared a large number of equipment, most especially anti-riot equipment such as APCs, water cannons, tear-smoke, pepper sprays and some nonlethal weapons.
But we won’t want to be specific about the actual number deployed because we don’t want to reveal our strength to the enemies, but every command has got its share, and we are sure that they will be of great help.
“The distribution still continues; in fact, we have just concluded the sharing of kits and accoutrements to all commands dealing with departments at the FHQ, Abuja and Lagos annex. So, our personnel are good to go, and we are still planning to share more as we expect deliveries of additional tools for the general elections.”
Security experts have said the deployment of anti-riot weapons, water cannons, APCs, and other arms and ammunition to the 37 state police commands and formations in preparation for the elections was proof that the police were in charge of election security management in the country.
A security expert, Chidi Omeje said, “This is good news for Nigeria and Nigerians. Nigeria is a democracy, and constitutionally, the police are supposed to be the de facto security agency in charge of internal security and election security management.
“This recent deployment of arms and ammunition and the N64bn provided for the police in the 2023 budget for election security management is an indication that we are on the right track as a country, and if the police stay true to the course, and if the N64bn is adequate for the police, then we’ll achieve peaceful, safe, free, fair and credible elections this year.”
Meanwhile, the police high command has stated that it will provide extra security cover for the political parties, which are only required to make requests.
Adejobi said, “We have been deploying personnel in various political activities so far, and we will continue to do so. Other security agencies have equally deployed adequate personnel to augment our power.
“The number of personnel that we have been deploying is enough for any normal and peaceful rally or campaign, except if the political parties claim or try to send a message that rallies won’t be peaceful, and they need to answer to that.
“We don’t require any conditions from political parties before we deploy personnel. All we want them to do is to inform the police in various places of their planned rallies or campaigns, and to make sure that they are peaceful.
“We expect them to be law-abiding and respect the peace accord already signed at all levels. Everybody in Nigeria is equal before the law and has rights as enshrined in the constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria. So, we preach peace, we want peace, and we will enforce the law to have peace wherever necessary.”
The Ogun State Police Command said it had yet to arrest any suspect in connection with the attacks on INEC offices in the state last year.