The Inspector-General of Police Usman Alkali Baba has said the 29th May, 2023 date for the swearing-in ceremony of the President-elect of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and indeed, other inauguration ceremonies at national and State levels is sacrosanct, warned all political actors with subversive agenda and their collaborators, who are bent to create tension within the national space with intention of derailing the 29th May 2023 Presidential Inauguration Ceremony to desist.
Baba said this today 15th May 2023 at the press conference at the Firce Headquarters to address some critical security issues that have of late dominated the internal security space with potentials of threatening our democratic order. WATCH IGP ADDRESSING THE MEDIA BELOW:
According to the IGP, the Nigeria Police and the national intelligence community have been closely monitoring the activities of these political elites as well as other elements who have formed themselves into unpatriotic brands whose only fantasy, in recent times, is to subvert the national security interests.
"In so doing, they seem to be bent on deploying extra-judicial and undemocratic means to truncate our democratic heritage in advancement of their narrow personal political considerations.
"The imperative of peace in the national life cannot be over-emphasized. Sustenance of peace and security is even more expedient at this stage in our national democratic transition. Consequently, while the Nigeria Police, in synergy with other security agencies and the intelligence community, continues to closely monitor the activities of these political elements, it has become expedient to make some clear statements," he said.
He firstly warned all political actors with subversive agenda and their collaborators, particularly, their foot soldiers who they are exposing to political radicalization attempts to create tension within the national space with intention of derailing the 29th May 2023 Presidential Inauguration Ceremony.
The IGP secondly pointed out that any such persons, regardless of their political affiliations who continuously engages in acts that are inimical to our nation’s democratic and security interests should not be in doubt on the firm determination of the Nigeria Police under his watch to closely collaborate with the law enforcement family and the intelligence community to defend our democracy, keep the internal security order stable and optimally deploy on common unique assets towards guaranteeing the successful conduct of the Presidential Inauguration Ceremony
Thirdly, he noted that the Inauguration Ceremonies at all the national and State levels of government are a critical constitutional requirement for the sustenance of the political order as a nation and the Nigeria Police is duty and legally bound to defend of democratic heritage and closely police the constitutional processes.
He assured Nigerians of Nigeria Police Force loyalty to democratic and political order which remains firm and unwavering. "We will defend our democracy at all costs".
He added that "the constitutional mandates of the Nigeria Police include the security governance of the processes leading to the inauguration of elected candidates at all levels and the guarantee for the successful conduct of the inauguration events.
"We shall undertake this task optimally and manifestly. Anybody that stands in the way will be and extremism to, henceforth, jettison their on-going premeditated identified, promptly isolated, and brought to deserved justice in the overriding interest of our national security and stable political order".