Ahead of last Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly election in Plateau State, the Nigerian Army and its sister security agencies in Jos, the state capital, have embarked on ‘Operation show of force’ within Jos and Bukuru metropolis.
This operation is intended to scare off criminal elements planning to disrupt the elections and deny them freedom of movement.
It was gathered that the exercise will also intended to boost the confidence of voters, allaying fears of intimidation and harassment before, during and after the elections.
Monitoring the operation ‘Show of force’ parade, I observed that members were deployed from the Nigerian Army, Police, Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS), Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corp (NSCDC), Federal Road Safety Corp (FRSC) Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS) among others.
They marched around Jos City Centre and Bukuru in Jos South LGA, in a long procession, displaying their military might to the admiration of the people who thronged out in large numbers to watch them.
Meanwhile, the General Officer Commanding (GOC) 3 Division Nigerian Army (NA) and Commander Operation SAFE HAVEN (OPSH), Major General Abdulsalami Ibrahim, while addressing security agents at OPSH headquarters declared that there is no place for election saboteurs.
He pointed out that their activities will not be tolerated in the upcoming general elections in the country. He reassured the voting populace of a secured environment for the conduct of the elections, adding that security agents would not spare anyone planning to instigate violence during the voting period. He charged troops to be professional, while carrying out the show of force during and after the general elections.
Similarly, a Jos-based Youth Initiative Against Violence and Human Rights Abuse (YIAVHA), has inaugurated a seven-man election violence monitoring and mitigation committee to support other actions that would be taken by state and non-state actors, towards peaceful and credible elections in Plateau State and Nigeria as a whole.
The executive director of YIAVHA, Pwakim Jacob, while speaking during the inauguration, said elections in Nigeria came with mixed feelings.
While some experience hope and enthusiasm to yet again have an opportunity to choose their leaders, others experience fear and anxiety courtesy of past history of election violence in their communities.
He said some still bear scars from the bitter experience of violence preparatory to the 2023 elections, noting that there had been 25 reported cases of violence associated with elections across 17 LGAs.
Pwakim added that they anticipate a peaceful and credible elections guided by timely actions, stressing that YIAVHA and it’s partners must mention that the committee is not in contention with any structures, as there is no positive action that will be more than enough in the prevention of violence especially around the elections.
