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A PAPER PRESENTED BY THE COMMANDANT GENERAL, NIGERIA SECURITY AND CIVIL DEFENCE CORPS (NSCDC), DR AHMED ABUBAKAR AUDI, mni, OFR, AT THE PEOPLE’S SECURITY MONITOR, ABUJA SECURITY CONFERENCE 2022, HELD ON WEDNESDAY 30TH NOVEMBER 2022, AT THE NIGERIA MERIT HOUSE, MAITAMA, ABUJA.
INTRODUCTION.
The theme of this event “FIXING NIGERIA’S SECURITY BEFORE, DURING AND AFTER THE 2023 GENERAL ELECTIONS, A TASK FOR ALL” is very apt and germane to the continued existence of Nigeria as one United, indivisible Nation.
This programme is actually coming at a time not farther than appropriate as it speaks visibly to the challenges our dear nation may contend with while forging ahead towards the 2023 General elections which is a decider of our future.
The coming election is crucial and marks a defining moment in the history of our dear nation. We have witnessed different forms of security challenges in recent years, some of which are even alien to us, however, building a secured and safer Nigeria is a herculean task that requires sincere efforts, determination, commitment and sacrifices from security agencies, reputable stakeholders and all citizens.
We are still standing as a nation because the government is alive to its responsibilities as provided for in Section 14(2)(b) of the 1999 constitution (as amended), which states that “the security and welfare of the people shall be the primary purpose of government, and the participation by the people in their government shall be ensured in accordance with the provisions of the constitution.
Consequently, the government is in control of the security architecture of the country and has recorded meaningful progress in the fight against insecurity to a large extent. Security agencies have also taken firm grip of the security situation, we are not going to allow things to slide.
ELECTION SECURITY.
In the political realm, election is expressed as the formal display of preferences by the governed, either secretly or openly, with the aggregation of the choice collated and transformed into collective decision on who governs based on the majority of the votes cast. It is a process whereby the adult citizens (above 18) choose their representative to govern them.
As one of the most fundamental rights, the right to vote and to stand for elections can be constrained in a myriad of methods including insecurity.
It is generally recognized that no single electoral method exists which is suited to all nations and people; election systems are complex and require careful planning, close examination and monitoring to ensure its success.
Election or voting in general is often one of the largest activities that are ever organized in any democratic country. It is a complex administrative operation, implemented in a politically charged atmosphere.
One of the issues that is giving most Nigerians real cause for concern as the nation picks its way through the delicate democratic pathway is the perceived insecurity during the election.
It is a fact that the integrity of any election can be determined by the security situation at any given time as the electorate go about choosing their leaders freely without let or hindrance.
Elections can only hold in a transparent manner where the results will be a true reflection of the vote cast by the people with the provision of adequate security. Therefore, important role of security personnel in midwifing true democracy can never be overemphasized.
Although the process depends on it, we should not only concentrate on election security alone and forget the need for our survival before the election itself.
The need to be seriously conscious of our immediate environment at all time should not be reechoed again and again before we understand that credible information and tipoffs given to security agencies is a major component in fighting insecurity.
Just like the way a secured and enabling environment boosts investor’s confidence, the same way a safe domain is key to the turnout of voters and credibility of the poll.
ELECTION VIOLENCE
Violence during elections in Nigeria, as has been experienced in the past, may be perpetuated by state and non-state actors before, during and after elections.
The primary purpose of the involvement of security agencies in elections is to provide electoral security, which has been succinctly defined as the protection of all stakeholders, activities and processes, election, facilities and materials from harm or threat of harm to facilitate peaceful and democratic elections.
It can also be defined as the unauthorized use of the means of coercion in the electoral process which are designed and employed to alter, change or influence the voters’ choice, votes or voting trend with the aim of tilting or reversing electoral decisions in favour of particular individuals, groups or political party.
The 2023 elections will be conducted under a new electoral framework, the Electoral Act 2022, a law that provides a more robust legal framework for the conduct of the polls. The law gives legislative backing for more transparent voting, collation and announcement of results.
As Nigeria prepares to hold its seventh consecutive general election since the country returned to democracy in 1999, there are key issues that can shape the quality and credibility of the polls.
While some groups have expressed concerned about the impossibility of conducting the General Elections in 2023 due to the current state of the nation, saying the 2023 elections will be the most challenging to conduct in Nigeria.
Elections are expected to be conducted in a peaceful atmosphere, the deployment of security personnel to the conduct of elections in Nigeria is based on generalized violence which has become commonplace, with thuggery and sundry electoral malpractices that have consistently and prominently featured in Nigeria’s elections.
THE ROLE OF THE NSCDC
The NSCDC is one of the major stakeholders in election security and has been working with other security agencies to tackle all threats to lives and properties of all residents in the country, we have participated in conducting several successful elections in the country including the recently conducted Osun and Ekiti governorship elections and 2023 General elections will not be any different.
Without mincing words, Synergy and cooperation among security agencies fosters national security, no individual agency has the monopoly of strategy to overcome security challenges especially in a complex society like ours.
Happily, the level of collaboration among members of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Elections Security is poised to ensure adequate security and safety of citizens and that of Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials and materials.
Those pockets of threats and security challenges in the areas INEC may be raising concerns would be surmounted before the election year.
Officers and men of the Corps are being trained for civil and tactical approaches, they know the importance of good conducts and display of professionalism before, during and after elections.
Series of strategic trainings, workshops and conferences are ongoing to acquaint them with the provisions of the Electoral Law, Rules of Engagement, Code of Ethics and Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) of the Corps towards achieving a successful elections even under very tight security.
As the lead agency in the protection of Critical National Assets and Infrastructure, there is need to ensure that those critical assets are not vandalized by criminal elements before, during and after elections, hence, massive deployment of personnel to maintain 24 hours surveillance in all key points across the country.
To ensure effective policing of the country, the Corps is engaging all its specialised departments and units to assert security in the Nation even prior to the election year and the CG’S Special Intelligence Squad (CG’s SIS) is fierce in its mandate of fighting all forms of security challenges and sabotage of our national security with arrests of bandits, kidnappers, terrorists, vandals, oil thieves, gun runners, fake dollars syndicates among others.
The Corps remains apolitical and only interested in working for the collective goid of the country, we will continue to partner with the Nigeria Police who is the lead agency in Internal Security and other security and law enforcement agencies to ensure a hitch free poll and guarantee a crime free environment to enable eligible voters exercise their voting rights.
Although, security remains a critical issues, the role played by the judiciary and other relevant stakeholders may also be an important determinant of credibility of the election.
While the Constitution is the foremost legal instrument on elections in Nigeria, it is followed closely in hierarchy by the Electoral Act which in turn empowers INEC to provide Guidelines and Regulations for the conduct of elections, as well as the Code of Conduct applicable to security personnel during elections.
There will also be need to invest more in peacebuilding efforts in communities experiencing conflicts, such as conflicts between farmers and herders, political agitations etc to ensure that such conflicts do not undermine the election.
The conduct of elections may be marred by acts of lawlessness, impunity, killings, assassination and wanton destruction of lives and properties.
Security Agencies have the mandate to provide security throughout the entire electoral process, government is investing heavily in security to make life better for all.
Rhe role of the citizens in ensuring the security of our nation cannot be over-emphasized. This is more so given the generalized atmosphere of electoral violence depicted by the use of political thugs and miscreants to foment troubles, disruptions, crimes and disorderliness by the politicians in order to win elections.
This has over time become a recurring phenomenon in Nigeria’s electoral democracy. This in turn has prompted the need for increasing deployment of security personnel to the conduct of elections in Nigeria.
Let us be vigilant, let us support efforts of government and security men with relevant information, let us help to secure our environment. When you see something, say something.
I thank you for your attention.