2023 Elections: IGP Fortifies Officers With Bulletproof Vests, Ballistic Helmets

Ahead of 2023 general elections, the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, on Monday ordered immediate distribution anti-riot equipment and kits to officers of the force nationwide.

The police chief said the equipment should include bullet-proof vests with armored plates, ballistic helmets, long and short-range tear gas for civil disorder management and stun guns.

Baba, who spoke through the Force spokesman, Muyiwa Adejobi,  said the directive became imperative in order to ensure safety of the officers and other Nigerians during the next year’s exercise.

The top cop also said apart from the equipment, additional batches of uniforms, kits and accoutrements should be handed over to the officers with immediate effect across the country.

He, however, charged the officers to ensure that they appear in clean uniforms, and that they are well-suited to discharge policing services professionally before, during and after the 2023 general elections.

Baba explained that the force will leave no stone unturned to ensure all sundry crimes and criminals are tamed, hence the welfare of officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force, saying preparations are already in top gear for the exercise.

The statement partly read, “This distribution is coming on the heels of the recently procured batch of the items to cater for the welfare of officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force as preparations are in top gear for the forthcoming General Elections, to optimize professionalism and friendly engagements in crowd control, as well as the subduing of any civil unrest; and to maximally adopt modern techniques of curtailing crimes and criminality.

“The IGP therefore assures of his administration’s continuous commitment to continually provide the needful and upgrade the operational capability of the Force at all levels in order to completely stamp out crimes and criminality in the country while providing top-notch election security management for the 2023 General Elections.

“Equally, the Inspector-General of Police charges officers and men of the Force to exhibit discipline, decency, and respect people’s fundamental rights while discharging their duties.”