The National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Monguno, says there are plots by subversive elements to use the current socio-economic climate created by the naira redesign policy to ignite civil unrest in the country.
He, however, warned politicians to desist from exploiting the ongoing economic challenges in the country to cause trouble before, during, and after the 2023 general elections.
Monguno, who was represented by a deputy director in the NSA office, Sanusi Galadima, at the meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security in Abuja on Wednesday, noted that the actions of some politicians have led to violence in some states.
He maintained that the Federal Government is committed to ensuring that the 2023 general elections are peaceful and credible and will not allow any individual or group to subvert the process.
“It is instructive to state that the government is very much aware of plots by domestic subversive elements and their external collaborators to use the current socio-economic climate in the country due to well-intended government policies to ignite civil unrest during the election.”
“To this end, in line with Mr. President’s commitment to ensure a peaceful transition of political power to a democratically elected government through free, fair, and credible elections, security agents have been charged to ensure lawful deployment to deal decisively with any individual or group involved, no matter how highly placed,” he said.
Members of the committee held the meeting barely four days before the presidential and national assembly elections to review the security situation before Saturday’s elections.
Security has been a major concern for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), causing the management to hold several security meetings with heads of security agencies in the past three months.
The 2023 general elections will kick off on February 25 with the presidential and National Assembly polls, and many hope that the entire process will not only be credible and inclusive but will also be peaceful.
