The State Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security, which has the Police as its head agency and is tasked with ensuring the security of the upcoming general elections in 2023, pays the Honorable Mr Justice Muhammad Sai’du Sifawa, head of the Sokoto State judiciary. CP Muhammed Usaini Gumel, the commissioner of police for Sokoto State Command, led the trip, which also included representatives from all other security agencies in the state that are members of ICCES.
The Committee, the first of its type in the state, was established largely with the remit of policing and managing the 2018 General Elections, according to a statement signed by DSP Sanusi Abubakar, the Police Public Relations Officer, State Headquarters, Gwandu Road in Sokoto:
i. ensuring the impartial safety and security of all the people and things participating in the entire electoral process.
ii. strict implementation of the Federal Republic of Nigeria’s constitution, the criminal code, and the electoral rules, without regard to political considerations,
iii. provision of security, coordination of traffic and crowd control at political party rallies and other election-related events.
iv. Increasing security presence in public areas to create a safe and favourable atmosphere for the success of political campaigns and other election process elements
The Cp informed the Hon. after stating the committee’s mandate and then called for the judiciary to acknowledge the committee. Chief Judge that all security agencies will collaborate to ensure election security and management, and that the committee cannot function independently given that law enforcement agencies serve as the entry points for the administration of the criminal justice system while courts serve as the final arbiter. In light of this, the committee asserted that it could do more to assist INEC in holding free, fair, transparent, and credible elections in 2023 with the sincere backing of the judiciary.
Deputy Minister of the Hon. In his reply, the Chief Judge extended a warm welcome to the Committee members and reaffirmed the state judiciary’s commitment to cooperating with the committee for swift justice delivery. In the future, the CJ promised to appoint a special court with a mandate to handle all suspects in cases of electoral offences, reiterating that all political thugs will be dealt with harshly and regardless of the forces behind them. After careful deliberation between the Committee and the CJ, this choice was made.
