The Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Baba, has raised the alarm over alleged activities of some political elites as well as other elements planning to deploy extra-judicial and undemocratic means to create tension within the national space with intention of derailing the May 29, 2023 Presidential Inauguration Ceremony.
The police boss raised the alarm during a press briefing with crime correspondents, titled: “May 29, 2023 Presidential Inauguration Is Sacrosant. We Will Defend Or Democracy”, Monday, at the Force Headquarters, Abuja.
He said, “Following the successful conclusion of the 2023 general elections, it has been observed that some major political actors that the outcome did not favour, have been issuing public threats that are directed at instigating actions to frustrate the Presidential inauguration ceremony on May 29, 2023.
“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 our 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.”
Baba further stated: “The Nigeria Police, hereby, sternly warns all political actors with subversive agenda and their collaborators, particularly, their foot soldiers who they are exposing to political radicalisation and extremism to, henceforth, jettison their on-going premeditated attempts to create tension within the national space with intention of derailing the May 29, 2023 Presidential Inauguration Ceremony.”
He added that, “Any such person, 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 my 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 our common unique assets towards guaranteeing the successful conduct of the Presidential Inauguration Ceremony.”
The police boss urged Nigerians to be mindful of the antics of political elements who may want to manipulate their political passion to advance parochial, undemocratic, and unconstitutional objectives.
He also encouraged the international community not to be swayed by the ill-informed actions of unpatriotic political actors who may be creating false red flags through the social media.
“I wish to, particularly, appeal to media practitioners to also be weary of the intents of these political gladiators and resist the urge to deploy their credible media outlets to advance their destabilisation plots,” he added.
