Makama, Political violence: Security Chiefs meet, discusses solution ahead of guber polls

Ahead of November 11, governorship election in Kogi, Bayelsa and Imo States, Security Chiefs on Thursday met in Abuja to brainstorm on finding solution and managing political violence, CAPITAL POST reports.

The high power inter-agency security meeting which was convened by the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Kayode Egbetokun at the Force headquarters Louis Edet House, Abuja was aimed at strategizing on ways to handle crisis and political violence rocking Kogi, Bayelsa and Imo States.

In Kogi State, security agencies have noted the high level of political violence ahead of the election at a very worrisome dimension, but which the Chiefs expressed their readiness to curtail.

Part of the issues raised for Kogi State was the Taskforce on arms headed by Mr. Friday Sani Makama, an appointee of governor Yahaya Bello of Kogi which the Security Chiefs have expressed ther discomfort. The Chiefs viewed this as an infraction on arms proliferation law. Our correspondent gathered that, Makama may be invited to Abuja any moment from now.

In attendance were senior officers representing the leadership of various security and law enforcement agencies involved in election security.

The meeting attracted representatives of the service chiefs – chief of defence staff (CDS), chief of army staff (COAS), Chief of Naval Staff (CNS) and the chief of air staff CAS).

Others were chief of defence intelligence (CDI), the director-general of the Department of State Services (DSS), his National Intelligence Agency (NIA) counterpart, the comptroller-general of the Nigeria Immigration Service (NIS), the controller-general of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), the comptroller-general of the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), the boss of the Correctional Services, the helmsman of the Federal Fire Service and DG of the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA).
The Force PRO, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said the meeting was organised in preparation for the off-season elections scheduled for November 11, 2023, in Bayelsa, Kogi, and Imo states.

The IGP, who was represented at the event by the deputy inspector-general of police in charge of operations, DIG Ede Ayuba, underlined the significance of cross-fertilization of ideas among various security and law enforcement agencies towards election security.

The DIG, while emphasising the plans of the IGP to maintain law and order during the elections, warned political gladiators, and their followers to be law-abiding and play the game according to the rules as the police and other security agencies will never allow any act of hooliganism, political rascality and lawlessness in any part of the states or in any other state across the country.

He said the goal is to develop collaborative strategies that will ensure that the upcoming elections are secure, free, fair and credible.

He praised the collaborative efforts of the armed forces and other sister law enforcement agencies, highlighting their role in fostering unity and contributing to the success of past general elections.

CAPITAL POST gathered that the task force was declared illegal by a Federal High Court in Abuja last week.