By KEMI KASUMU
Ahead of 2023 presidential election, which remains three weeks from now, the Muslim Media Watch Group of Nigeria (MMWG) has renewed its call on security agencies to fine-tune their security plans and ensure that they are combat-ready to dislodge and arrest on-the-spot trouble makers at any attempt to commit crime during the process.
In a press statement issued by its National Coordinator, Mallam Ibrahim Abdullahi, dated Friday 3rd February 2023 CE (12th Rajab 1444 AH) and made available to The DEFENDER, the MMWG stated that as political parties and their candidates strategise on how to win elections, agents of destabilisation would also be at work doing some permutations to cause chaos.
However, the combat readiness of the security agencies would thwart the efforts of those agents, it advised.
The Muslim Media Watch also pointed attention of the Nigerian Press to how their patriotic disposition to the spirit of justice, accuracy and managed truth can contribute to the success of security agencies and electoral umpire at achieving credible, free and fair of the electioneering exercise.
“The role of mass media regarding on-the-spot-reportage of facts and not fiction would enable security agents to know how to tackle emerging problems. This must be reiterated especially the fact that the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) has no business in arresting election violators rather it is the duty of the security agents. That is why they need to be properly briefed so as to do their jobs creditably,” the statement said.
The Muslim Watch Group of Nigeria specifically charged the police, the NSCDC officials and the Army to start from now to reinforce the INEC offices across the federation with heavily armed security men to forestall any attack on them as results of all elections will pass through those INEC offices.
It finally appealed to religious leaders of all faiths to help the nation with intensive prayers for the success of this year’s general elections.
