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Nigerian Police Arrest 203 Suspects For Violence, Recover 18 Firearms During February's Presidential Election

Nigerian Police Arrest 203 Suspects For Violence, Recover 18 Firearms During February's Presidential Election
March 6, 2023

The Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, disclosed this at a meeting at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.   

The Nigerian Police Force says it arrested 203 persons for various electoral offences during the February 25 presidential and National Assembly elections and recovered 18 firearms from political thugs.

The Inspector General of Police, Usman Baba, disclosed this at a meeting at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.   

Baba in a statement issued through the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said that the suspects were arrested in 185 major incidents which the police responded to.

The police chief, who praised the professionalism of policemen deployed for the election, disclosed that all the cases were at various stages of investigation at the Nigerian Police Electoral Offences Desks, assuring that it would be concluded and processed to the Legal Department of the Independent National Electoral Commission for prosecution.

The Force Spokesperson, Adejobi, said that the meeting was basically to debrief officers posted for election security management duties and appraise the performance of the Nigeria Police Force at the February 25th Presidential and National Assembly Elections, identify gaps, and perfect the action plan for the forthcoming March 11 Governorship and House of Assembly Elections.

He said "IGP applauded the high level of resilience, and utmost professionalism displayed by Officers and men of the Nigeria Police as well as other security agencies in the course of the election security operations in line with the Reviewed Standard Operational Guidelines and Rules for Police Officers and Other Security Agents on Electoral Duties which was issued to all officers in the countdown to the election operations.

"He equally attributed the professionalism of the officers to the various pre-election pieces of training, meticulous planning, massive operational assets procurement and deployment, as well as prioritised welfare.

"The IGP noted that about one hundred and eighty-five (185) major incidents were responded to by the Police across the country during the elections, while a total of two hundred and three (203) offenders linked to various electoral offences and sundry crimes have so far been arrested, and eighteen (18) firearms of various calibres were recovered from political thugs during the exercise."

According to the statement, the Inspector-General of Police reiterated the commitment of Nigeria Force "to evolving pathways to incrementally strengthen its operational capacity and professional knowledge in navigating through the complex electoral process dynamics to police our democratic heritage and meet the expectations of the electorates."