Threats To The 2023 Elections – Usman Alkali Baba

The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, has revealed the major threats to Nigeria’s upcoming 2023 general elections. According to Baba, the activities of criminal elements such as terrorists, bandits, and members of the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) pose a significant challenge to the exercise.

Speaking at a media briefing in Abuja on Friday, the IGP emphasized that the continuous attacks on facilities of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) by unknown gunmen still remained a challenge to the polls.

Baba further revealed that political thuggery as well as intra and inter-party crises also posed a significant threat to the February 25, 2023 elections.

He stated that state security organizations like the Amotekun Corps in the South-West, Ebubeagu in the South-East, and the Benue Guare have been banned from participating in Saturday’s poll. However, he reiterated that no quasi-security organization should be involved in policing the political process.

Despite the challenges faced by the police ahead of the general elections, Baba expressed optimism that plans had been put in place to ensure a peaceful election. He noted that the police had analyzed the crime situation in Nigeria, and while challenges still existed, the police had upscaled their operations and conditioned the atmosphere more than before.

“In other words, our analysis of the crime situation in Nigeria has dropped drastically compared to what we have recorded as crime and criminality in the last one month,” Baba said.

The IGP’s revelation of the threats to Nigeria’s upcoming 2023 general elections comes at a critical time when the country is preparing for a hotly contested election. The current president, Muhammadu Buhari, is expected to step down after serving two terms, leading to a scramble for the top job in Africa’s most populous nation.

Baba’s remarks serve as a call to action for the relevant authorities to take the necessary steps to ensure a peaceful, free, and fair elections in 2023.