Stakeholders seek involvement of private security guards in election process

Stakeholders in the have called for involvement private security participation and service delivery in future elections in the country.

They made the call at the public presentation of Monitoring and Assessment Report of private security services during the 2023 elections in Nigeria, on Friday in Abuja.

Mr Okereke Chinwike, Chief Executive Officer, African Law Foundation(AFRILAW) said it was important to recognise the complementary roles and functions of the private security providers in improving election security in the country.

He said that private security companies which has the largest security manpower should be harnessed by the federal government in ensuring adequate election security henceforth.

According to him, there is need for an increased cooperation between INEC, the private security companies as well as election policy makers to ensure that they are fully utilized in future elections.

“The private security guards can play a critical role in monitoring and reporting incidences, provide security for election stakeholders office premises, politicians, political parties events, INEC and other support services that public security agencies carry out.

“Though they have been doing some of these services unofficially, but right now, we want the policymakers to make it official so that they can complement the public security agencies.

“They should also be given a capacity building training so that they can offer quality and professional services in further elections,” he said.

Also, Mr Oyesanya Sanya, Deputy Commandant, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) said private security providers should be given an opportunity to complement the services the public security agencies during elections.

“Private security came into being because of gap in what United Nations recommended as the standard ratio for policing the citizens, which is one to 400.

“Government paid agents cannot do all and these are the gaps the private security guards are filling, which they have been doing in everyday security.

“Using them for election security will assist us in having a well secured election process,” he said.

Dr David Vareba, Coordinator, Access Africa for Right and Development Initiative, added that deliberate efforts must be made by all critical election policy makers to ensure adequate usage of private security guards.

Vareba, who served as an election observer in Rivers state during the 2023 elections, added that private security guards were not adequately involved in the electoral process.

He also called for adequate compensation measures for private security guards deployed to high risk and volatile areas for election related duties.

Our correspondent reports that the private security and elections project being implemented by AFRILAW is done in collaboration with NSCDC and the Association of Licensed Private Security Practitioners of Nigeria (ALPSPN).

The project also has the support of the Geneva Center for Security Sector Governance (DCAF) Switzerland and the International Code of Conduct Association (ICOCA) Switzerland and UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office.