The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, has approved the setting up of an Election Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Team for deployment across the country ahead of the 2023 general election.

The team was set up to identify, analyse, and mitigate threats, as well as carry out on-the-spot assessment and appraisal of the security emplacements ahead of the forthcoming general election.

This was contained in a statement issued on Wednesday by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi.

The IGP also appointed the Vice President (INTERPOL) and Head, National Crime Bureau (NCB), AIG Garba Baba Umar, as the National Coordinator of the team of experienced and seasoned police officers with vast knowledge in election security management.

According to the statement, Umar will be assisted by other team members, including the AIG Force Secretary, AIG Habu Sani, CP Election Monitoring, CP Basil Idegwu, and the Force Public Relations Officer, Adejobi.

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The team also comprise seven other Commissioners of Police, 15 Deputy Commissioners of Police, 30 Assistant Commissioners of Police, 30 Chief Superintendents of Police, and 16 Strategic Officers of other ranks.

Baba, while reiterating the commitment of the police to ensuring that the elections are safe, secure, credible, and in line with global best practices, tasked the team to, amongst other things, ensure the propriety of deployments, give real-time coverage of the electoral process, and safeguard against hostile external and internal influence using INTERPOL, anti-cybercrime, and intelligence tools and assets of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF).

In the same vein, the IGP reaffirmed the establishment and viability of the Electoral Offences Desks domiciled at the State Criminal Investigation Departments (SCID) of all commands across the nation headed by the Assistant Commissioners of Police in charge of the SCID.

The Electoral Offences Desk is saddled with the responsibility of collating, investigating, and prosecuting all matters relating to electoral offences nationwide.

Baba, however, called on Nigerians, international communities, and all stakeholders to support the NPF teams in all areas, particularly on intelligence sharing and regular engagements to achieve success in the 2023 general election.

The Star