Election Will Hold In South-East Despite Security Challenges – IGP

The inspector-general of police,  Mr Usman Baba Alkali, has assured  that despite  security challenges,  elections would be held in the South East zone next year.

The inspector general who was represented by the assistant inspector-general of police, Mr Isaac Akinmoyede, spoke yesterday at the opening ceremony of the “South-East 2023 Elections Security Management Workshop” held in Enugu.

He assured  that the police were building a robust synergy with other security organisations and formations to ensure that the 2023 elections are seamless and peaceful.

The police chief said they were  brainstorming to fashion out ways to deal with existing and emerging security threats within the region.

“It is clear that with robust synergy, cooperation and joint operations this area will be the most peaceful and our people will surely come out to exercise their civic responsibility.

“We are working relentlessly on the goal of ensuring that elections hold in the South-East and people’s votes are secured and will definitely count,” he assured.

Earlier in a speech, a retired IGP, Dr Solomon Arase, said the workshop was meant for all security agencies and formations in the South-East to get them ready for the  election.

Arase that the workshop would help to identify previous security gaps in election security as well as point out tasks and responsibilities of each security agency concerned about the election.

Also speaking, the commissioner of police in Enugu State, Mr Abubakar Lawal, urged the people of the zone and the state not to express any fear about the 2023 election.

“2023 elections will hold and we are doing everything humanly possible to ensure that. Our people should not entertain any fear or any opinion in the contrary,” Lawal assured.

The workshop was attended officers of the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Air Force, Nigerian Navy, Nigeria Police, DSS and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.

Others were from the Nigeria Correctional Service, Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Customs Service, Federal and State Fire Services as well as National Drug Law Enforcement Agency among others.