The Nigeria Police Force has recorded a total of 489 major electoral infractions during the just-concluded 2023 general elections, involving the presidential, National Assembly, governorship and State House of Assembly elections in February and March, 2023.
This was revealed by the inspector-general of police, IGP Usman Baba, at a meeting with senior Police officers in Abuja on Monday.
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The IGP said: “Across the 36 states of the federation and the FCT, a the total of 489 major electoral infractions leading to arrest of a total of 781 offenders who recorded during the presidential, national assembly, the governorship and state assembly elections while not less than 66 firearm of various description were recovered from electoral adversaries.
“A summary indicates a total of 185 major electoral offences were reported during the presidential and national assembly elections with 203 arrest made and 18 firearms recovered.
“Similarly a total of 304 electoral offences were recorded during the governorship and state House of Assembly election with a total number of 578 arrest and recovery of 48 firearms.”
The IGP further stated that the culprits will be prosecuted, noting that, “I can assure you that we will effectively collaborate with Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), leadership in ensuring that all these electoral offenders are expeditiously and transparently prosecuted not only in the interest of criminal justice delivery betting furtherance to our vision of sanitizing our democratic space.”
Force PRO, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said the IGP’s meeting with the senior Police officers also aimed at evaluating Police performance during the 2023 general elections, highlight lessons and strengths and dissect complex dynamics for subsequent optimal performance.
The IGP seized the opportunity to commend the senior police officers and commanders and other ranks for their resilience, sacrifices and professionalism which ensured the containment of the pockets of election security breaches across the country during the electioneering process.
He equally tasked all commands with submitting case files centrally at the Electoral Offences Desk, Office of the IGP, Force headquarters in Abuja, for coordinated processing to INEC legal section.
The inspector-general of police also charged the strategic police managers to readjust strategies and operations towards ensuring a stable post-election security order and refocus policing attention on routine law enforcement duties.
He similarly and firmly admonished all political actors and their supporters to submit to democratic norms, peaceful means and legal procedures in advancing their interests as the Police and other security agencies shall not tolerate the resort to incitement or any act designed to threaten national security.