Police battle probes into Nigeria electoral violations

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Nigeria Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba

from EMEKA OKONKWO in Abuja, Nigeria
Nigeria Bureau
ABUJA, (CAJ News) – NIGERIAN police are in a race against time to complete investigations into electoral violations during the February 25 Presidential and National Assembly elections.

They have been urged to complete the task before the country holds Gubernatorial and State House of Assembly polls this coming weekend.

The upcoming polls are again set to be a tightly-contested affair, as last month’s poll whose outcome opposition parties have rejected amid vote-rigging claims.

Some violence characterised the polls.

Usman Alkali Baba, the Inspector-General of Police, this week directed Commissioners of Police in charge of State Commands to ensure that investigations in all cases of violations against the 2022 Electoral Act during the February electioneering process were concluded and the case files forwarded to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) for prosecution.

Police spokesperson, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said this is in a bid to ensure all-inclusive election security management and accord Nigerians benefits of active participation in free, fair and credible elections this weekend.

“The Inspector-General of Police has therefore urged well-meaning members of the public to collaborate with the Police and other law enforcement agencies tasked with election security management, to ensure a hitch-free security architecture for all and sundry particularly the electorates, accredited observers, INEC officials and materials so that all citizens can exercise their franchise without molestation, harassment and security threats,” Adejobi said.

INEC itself has come under criticism for the problems that characterised the recent polls.

The main opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and the smaller Labour Party (LP) both claim the presidential candidates, Atiku Abubakar and Peter Obi, respectively won the polls.

INEC has declared Bola Tinubu of the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) as the winner.

– CAJ News

 

 

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