Boko Haram insurgency, banditry and IPOB insurrection are not immediate threat to 2023 general elections, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Usman Baba, has said.
The top police chief gave the assurances followed a robust security threat analysis carried out by the police using global best standards to ascertain the trend of expectations for the electioneering processes, a statement by the force spokesperson CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi has said.
21st CENTURY CHRONICLE reports that in 2021 alone, IPOB separatists had conducted 19 attacks on INEC facilities that resulted in the destruction of offices as well as burning 18 of the commission’s logistical vehicles, several election materials.
The armed separatists, according to the Minister of Justice Abubabar Malami in October last year, had killed 175 security personnel and destroyed 165 police facilities across the Southeast between October 2020 and June 2021.
Also, Boko Haram insurgents have recently expanded their operational base from the Northeast to some parts of the Northwest and North central – two zones already plagued by devastating armed banditry and kidnap for ransom.
The police statement issued on Sunday in Abuja said the Nigeria’s police chief spoke during a meeting with Mr Todd Robinson, Assistant Secretary, Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs, US Department of States.
Mr Baba met with the official during the summit of United Nations Chiefs of Police, held in the US.
The statement said discussions at the meeting were centered around enhancing support for the Nigeria Police training and capacity building programme.
Mr Baba said the focus was particularly on the training of tactical units deployed in the Northeast and other conflict theatres across the country.
He said the discussion was also on the need to cascade the ongoing election security management training across the six geopolitical zones in preparation for the 2023 general elections.
The general elections have been fixed for February 2023. President Muhammadu Buhari is expected to handover power to an elected leader on May 29, 2023.
