2023 Election: IGP Orders Distribution Of 1m Handbook To Officers

Ahead of the general election, the Inspector- General of Police (IGP) Usman Baba, has ordered the distribution of more than a million copies of a handbook produced by the Nigeria Police Force on “Revised Standard Operational Guidelines/ Rules for Police Officers and Other Law Enforcement Agents on Election Security Duties”.

According to a statement, yesterday, by the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the exercise will cover zonal, state command’s, as well as other police formations across the country.

He said: “The 36 paged handbook contains a page for the details of the offi- cer to whom it is issued, a foreword by the IGP, rules on general conduct, duty parade, briefing/debriefing, dress and accoutrement, managing political parties’ convention/rallies, and crowd control, use of force and lethal weapon, escorting and protecting election materials, the procedure of arrest, command and control and other salient electoral security rules.”

He added thus: “The strategic distribution covers he Force Headquarters, Zonal and State Police Commands, Formations and trickles down to Units of the Force and Divisional Police Stations to ensure that every police officer will have a copy of the guidelines for ease of reference before the commencement of deployments.

“Similarly, the IGP has ordered distribution to the Presidency, Ministry of Police Affairs, Police Service Commission, the Military, and all other security agencies engaged alongside the Police in election security.”