FG to provide adequate security for upcoming general elections – Aregbesola

The Federal Government has promised to provide adequate security before, during and after the upcoming general elections.

Me Sola Fasure, Media Adviser to the Minister of Interior, Rauf Aregbesola made this known in a statement on Friday in Abuja.

The minister made the promise at a State House Press Briefing Series, highlighting the achievements of President Muhammadu Buhari in the ministry.

According to the minister, peace and security are necessary conditions for election.

“All the security agencies in the country, including the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) are therefore, on top of their games.

“They will leave no stone unturned to provide adequate security for the conduct of free and fair elections. Therefore, Nigerians should keep their minds at rest.”

The minister added that the Nigerian passports issued by the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS) increased numerically from one million in 2021 to 1.9 million in 2022.

“This is about 80 per cent increase and it is unprecedented.”

Aregbrsola said that the ministry was working with NIS to constantly reform the passport administration process to deliver improved services to Nigerians at all times.

On the progress of the Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), Aregbesola assured that custodial centres were now fully secured, as the personnel guarding the centres were now well trained and fully equipped.

“They now have the capacity to withstand and repel any form of attack.

“The Correctional Information Management System (CIMS) which captures the records and biometrics of every inmate in the custodial centres to facilitate quick dispensation of justice has been deployed in all the states of the Federation and the FCT.”

On the operations of the Federal Fire Service (FFS), Aregbesola said the statistics of service from 2020 till date cast a beam of hope for personal and corporate security.

“The statistics show that the FFS responded to 10,659 fire calls, made 696 Emergency Rescues, saved 2,225 lives and an estimated property worth 25 trillion from 2020 till date.”

He, however, commended the NSCDC for living up to its mandate of protecting critical national assets and infrastructure.

The minister added that the NSCDC was not only active on land but also on water, fighting off oil theft, illegal oil bunkering as well as pipeline vandalism.