He cautioned those making inciting statements to tread with caution, saying that whoever is found culpable will be apprehended and made to face the wrath of the law.
Those involved in making inciting statements on the fothcoming elections have been advised to tread with caution, as whoever is found culpable will face legal action.
Security agencies have also been told to discharge their duties within the confines of the law, as they will be held responsible for electoral infractions.
Mohammed Monguno, National Security Adviser (NSA) and Co-chairman of the Inter-Agency Consultive Committee on Election Security, disclosed this on Tuesday in Abuja, during a meeting with the leaders of all security agencies.
According to Monguno, the forthcoming election has to be conducted in a way that will portray Nigeria in a positive light, not only to Nigerians, but to the international community.
He said there would be full enforcement of all electoral laws as no excuses would be tolerated for misdemeanor in the course of their duties.
His words: "The forthcoming election, especially the 2019 elections, have to be conducted in such a manner that not only the wider Nigeria society but indeed the international community should be able to perceive us in a very positive light. Excuses of course will not be tolerated. It is assumed that we are all trained personnel and it is by virtue of this fact that we have sufficient training that we will be given this assignment, for we are representing our various organisations. There will be of course full enforcement of all electoral laws."
He noted that there would be an election security management seminar, scheduled to hold on October 11, adding that the idea behind the seminar is to streamline all the areas that may constitute stumbling blocks to the success of the elections.
He said: "The idea is for us to streamline all the areas that need to be looked at and to prepare a training session for all security operatives who will provide security during election. Of course, there are codes of conduct for all security agencies and we will all be held responsible for any infraction during election. It is also important for us to understand that operating outside the confines of legality or legitimacy will be viewed very seriously."
He cautioned those making inciting statements to tread with caution, saying that whoever is found culpable will be apprehended and made to face the wrath of the law.
"Now there are certain trend that gives us concern. Already we started witnessing a different type of atmosphere regarding preparation for election. These utterances are not very good or healthy for us and could incite the public. We have been talking with the co-chairman and we will also be consulting with the leadership of various security agencies to find ways of preventing and also apprehending those who are culpable. This will be opposed in the beginning, and might be uncontrollable at a certain point, and therefore it is extremely important that before the 2019 elections, we must be able to find a way of surmounting this dangerous trend.
"Again, there will be issues of vote buying and vote selling. These are concerns which we have to look into collectively and begin to deal with whatever problems that might arise from this unsacred act. Anybody found complicit in any situation will of course bear the consequence on his own. Any colouration of complicity by any of your staff will be viewed with the seriousness it deserves. I don't need to over emphasis that," Munguno stressed.
Present at the meeting were all security agencies.