By Ebere Agozie
President, Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) Mrs Oyinkansola Badejo-Okusanya says strengthening the capacity, professionalism and operational preparedness of police personnel is essential to safeguarding the electoral process and sustaining public confidence in democratic institutions.
Badejo-Okusanya, made this known on Friday in Abuja at a training session for 10,000 police officers nationwide on election security management ahead of the 2027 General Elections.
Represented by Mr Afam Okeke, National Secretary of the NBA, Badejo-Okusanya said the five-day training was commendable, particularly given the critical role of security agencies in ensuring peaceful, credible and secure elections.
“The NBA recognises that free and fair elections thrive in an atmosphere of security, respect for the rule of law, protection of fundamental rights and accountability.
“We therefore welcome this initiative and encourage all stakeholders to remain committed to upholding democratic principles and international best practices in election security management”.
She reassured that the association is committed to the rule of law and the advancement of democracy and remains willing to support initiatives that promote peaceful elections, strengthen democratic institutions and protect the rights of all citizens.
The president tasked the police on remaining neutral, professional and accountable throughout the electoral process.
“You should be professional and impartial in your policing to ensure credible elections as you have a critical role to play in protecting voters, electoral officials and the integrity of the electoral process”.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the training is being conducted at designated centres across the country.
The training covers election security management, crowd control, conflict prevention, rules of engagement, human rights, intelligence gathering and lawful responses to election-related incidents.
The first phase involves officers from 18 states and the Federal Capital Territory, with the programme designed to establish uniform operational standards ahead of their deployment for election duties. (NAN)
Edited by Sadiya Hamza
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