203 Arrested, 18 Firearms Recovered During Presidential, NASS Polls, IGP Reveals

Pat Stevens/

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, has revealed that 203 suspects were arrested in 185 incidents during the February 25 presidential and national assembly elections.

The IGP, who disclosed this during a meeting with strategic police managers, today, said 18 assorted firearms were also recovered during the exercise.

The meeting, according to a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Muyiwa Adejobi, was convened to “to debrief officers posted for election security management duties and appraise the performance of the Nigeria Police Force at the February 25th Presidential and National Assembly Elections, identify gaps, and perfect the action plan for the forthcoming March 11th Elections.”

Part of the statement reads, “Furthermore, the IGP noted that about one hundred and eighty-five (185) major incidents were responded to by the Police across the country during the elections, while a total of two hundred and three (203) offenders linked to various electoral offences and sundry crimes have so far been arrested, and eighteen (18) firearms of various calibres were recovered from political thugs during the exercise.

“He emphasized that the cases are at various stages of investigation at the Nigeria Police Electoral Offences Desks and assures that they will be concluded and processed to the Legal Department of the Independent National Electoral Commission for prosecution.”

The statement says the IGP attributed the feat achieved by the force “to the various pre-election pieces of training, meticulous planning, massive operational assets procurement and deployment, as well as prioritized welfare.”

Those present at the meeting held at the Goodluck Jonathan Peacekeeping Hall, Force Headquarters, Abuja, include, Deputy Inspectors General and other members of the Force Management Team, Assistant Inspectors General, Commissioners of Police, and heads of tactical investigative and operational units.