INEC inaugurates committee to review strategies on election security

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has inaugurated a sub-committee to review election security strategies.

A statement by the commission’s Director of Publicity and Voter Education, Mr Oluwole Osaze-Uzzi said that the nine-member committee was was inaugurated by INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu on Wednesday in Abuja.

According to the statement, members of the committee chaired by INEC National Commissioner AVM Tijani Mu’azu (rtd), were drawn from the Department of State Services (DSS), Office of the Chief of Defense Staff, Nigeria Police Force, as well as the Nigeria Security & Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

Other members of the committee were from the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) and Office of the National Security Adviser (NSA).

It also listed INEC National Commissioners Prof. Okechukwu Ibeanu and Dr Mohammed Lecky as members of the committee.

It quoted Mahmood, represented by Mu’azu, at the ceremony as stressing the need to review existing election security strategies to advance the course of violence-free polls.

Mahmood said the sub-committee was set up to strengthen the synergy between security agencies and the Commission with a view to ensuring the safety of lives and properties during elections.

“The Commission formed the sub-committee to look at how to strengthen synergy between Security Agencies and INEC and to look at how we can collaborate in the field,” Mahmood said.

It noted that the term of reference for the Committee which has 30 days to submit its report was to: “advise on the strengths and challenges of ICCES on an inter-agency collaboration for election security; Develop a set of rules of engagement for security agencies in electoral activities; and Update the existing Code of Conduct to apply to all security agencies on election. “To recommend a framework for collaborative deployment, coordination and funding of security agencies for the purpose of election,” it read.

The committee was also expected to develop a system for the regular review of the work of Inter Agency Committee on Election Security (ICCES) in the pre-election, election and post-election period; as well Make any other recommendations to deepen collaboration and improve the role of ICCES in the electoral process.