At a combined inter-agency show of collaboration and combat readiness yesterday, spokesmen of the Armed Forces of Nigeria comprising the military, Police and the secret service, the Department of State Services DSS warned persons or groups out to scuttle tomorrow’s presidential elections to think twice or have themselves to blame, with a caveat: only peaceful and law-abiding Nigerians have nothing to fear. But they assured anxious electorates of their full sacrifice and commitment to providing a peaceful, healthy and conducive atmosphere for peaceful general elections on tomorrow and March 11, 2023 across the country.At the well-attended briefing which was called by the Acting Director Defence Information, Brigadier Tukur Gusau who was flanked by the Force Public Relations Officer, Mr. Olumuyiwa Adejobi and the DSS Public Relations Officer, Dr. Peter Afunanya, they restated the capacity and readiness of the armed forces with the police as lead agency in election security management to guarantee adequate security before, during and after the elections. According to them, the relevant security and intelligence agencies have completed arrangements to provide cutting edge security at all polling booths and units and ensure hitch free elections across the nation.Brigadier General Gusau recalled that early in the week, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Lucky Irabor met with Service Chiefs and heads of other security agencies in Abuja as part of preparations ahead of the forthcoming general elections.“Similarly, the National Security Council met yesterday with a charge to the AFN and other security agencies to ensure peaceful conduct of the forthcoming general elections. I“In both meetings, the CDS has assured the nation that we are set for the conduct of a hitch-free elections in the country. He further assured that the AFN is very prepared to support the Nigerian Police and other government agencies responsible for conducting elections.‘’The CDS had sent out strong messages that the Armed Forces of Nigeria is committed to total collaboration with other security agencies to ensure this election is successful. In the word of CDS, ‘the elections will be conducted and everyone will have the liberty to exercise his franchise”.Brigadier General Gusau also said ” the Armed Forces of Nigeria is committed to strong and virile constitutional democracy. We are very loyal to the Nigerian state and are ready to defend democracy at all cost. “He maintained that during the election period, all the usual and normal military operations and duties will continue simultaneously across the country.According to him, OP SAFE CONDUCT had been activated to provide guidance to AFN during elections.The Defence Headquarters has established a monitoring team in conjunction with other Security Agencies that will oversee the process in FCT and all the 6 geo political zones the country. Similarly, Operations centers have been established in FCT and 36 states capitals of the federation to serve as Quick Response Centers for all distress calls in the event of any breach of peace during the election period, he said.On the police part, Mr. Adejobi used the occasion to strictly emphasise that state governments owned security outfits and vigilante groups are not part of the arrangements for the election security management and advised them to stay away ditto personnel of state governments owned security agencies who he said were not part of the arrangements hence any of them found loitering around would be arrested.According to the Police spokesperson, movement of persons and vehicles would be restricted as from 12 pm midnight on Friday, February 24 and 6 pm on Saturday February 25, 2023.He said that only journalists duly accredited by the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, as well as persons on essential services i.e. Telecommunication staff on duty, Doctors on calls, etc would be allowed on the roads. He advised electorates whose polling booths are located far from their homes to get closer to their unit location on Friday.Mr. Adejobi who, like Brigadier General Tukur Gusau, appeared in combat uniform, said that VIPs were not permitted to go to the polling booths with their orderly and security aides. According to him, only the only the police Aide -de -Camp (ADC), are allowed to accompany state governors and their deputies into the polling centre. He warned that any security personnel caught violating the directive by accompanying a VIP to polling centre would be arrested on the spot, adding that the police ban on the use of siren on unauthorized vehicles was still in force.Mr. Adejobi maintained that security agencies were fully ready to protect democracy and ensure hitch free security, fair and creditable elections in the country.He adviced electorates without PVC to stay off the streets and polling centres. Adejobi also advised the media to be objective and avoid fake news.The spokesman of the Department of State Services, DSS, Dr. Peter Afunanya who came with a prepared text that was displayed on the slide said that the agency had pledged to be neutral and professional. DSS also pledged good conduct of its personnel to the democratic process.“It will continue to discharge its mandate of disseminating timely, actionable and proactive intelligence necessary for tactical, operational and strategic decisions even beyond the elections.”The DSS will partner with sister security, intelligence and law enforcement agencies at all levels and arms of Government including all stakeholders particularly the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and relevant Non-Governmental and Civil Society Organisations to ensure hitch free elections.The Department enjoined residents to cast their votes without any form of violence and also maintain the peace after that.The DSS image maker further said that in pursuit of a desired environment for the elections, it conducted proactive and intelligence-led operations across the States. For instance, on 22nd February, 2023, the Service conducted a legally backed search operation on a property along Airport Road, Nasarawa LGA, Kano State.“During the operation, it recovered dangerous weapons including a gun, daggers, swords, jack-knives from the said building.He said that “the accusation that the Service intimidated a particular political party in that State is untrue; otherwise, how come those weapons were found there? Are those objects of violence campaign materials?“Whether in Kano or elsewhere, the DSS has provided equal opportunities for all political parties to engage in their lawful activities. We can say this without any form of contradictions or equivocations,” he said.
