The Inspector General of Police, Mr. Ibrahim Idris said, yesterday, that the Nigerian police is prepared to replicate the feat it recorded at the Ekiti and Osun States Governorship elections in the forthcoming 2019 general elections.
The Vanguard reported that the IGP made this known at a two-day train the trainers’ workshop for senior police officers on election security management for the 2019 general elections in Abuja.
Represented by the Commissioner of the Police Training College, Maiduguri, Reuben Akpan, the IGP said:
‘‘This workshop is coming at the right time, it came at the right time. With the inputs from the Commissioners of Police, we have been having talks like this before, in addition to training like this. Definitely, it will cement some of the loopholes the police officers have during previous elections.
‘‘Different people are entitled to their opinions. Under the IGP, the elections that were conducted in Ekiti and Osun states, foreign media made issues about it. If we can take that as a standard, that will be a plus for the police force. But we should be fair and neutral in our conduct.”
He said the workshop was more fundamental as there were already identified threats that are likely to trigger violence in the 2019 general elections.
While he pledged to work with CLEEN Foundation and the Police Service Commission, the IGP said:
‘‘We believe this will enhance the conduct of the officers and ensure service delivery for a credible and violent-free 2019 general elections. As we go into the elections, the Police Service Commission has promised that they are going to monitor the elections.”
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