Off-cycle Polls: NSA Assures Voters Of Safety, Vows To Deal With Violence Merchants

The National Security Adviser (NSA), Nuhu Ribadu, on Friday, assured residents of Bayelsa, Kogi and Imo States of watertight security during the off-cycle governorship elections coming up on Saturday, November 11, 2023.

Ribadu, who is the co-chair of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security, charged all security, intelligence and law enforcement officers deployed on election security duties to conduct themselves creditably.

Ribadu vowed that there will be severe consequence for anyone who is found to have disrupted the conduct of the elections or abuse his authority.

In a statement by the Head, Strategic Communication Office of the National Security Adviser, Zakari Mijinyawa, the NSA warned against violence by political actors and charged security agencies to adhere to professional code of ethics during the conduct of the exercises.

He assured that in line with the directive of President Bola Ahmed Tinubu, security agencies have made adequate preparations to ensure safe, secure and transparent elections on Saturday, 11 November, 2023.

The NSA further stated that the federal government has mobilised all the required resources for the smooth conduct of the elections and called on all election managers to adhere strictly to the instruction given by the President.

Ribadu further warned that a monitoring system has been established with monitors deployed to the fields to collect any evidence of violence and irregularities.

He, therefore, admonished voters in the affected three states to come out en masse to exercise their franchise, assuring them of adequate protection.