Nigeria: Police seek more powers

  1. Posted on Tuesday 12 May 2009 - 09:52
    Murtala
    Image of Murtala
    Murtala Mohamed Kamara, AfricaNews reporter in Freetown, Sierra Leone
    Nigerian President Umaru Musa Yar'dua has submitted a bill to the country's national assembly recommending for greater powers of the Nigerian Police Force (NPF) during and after an election.
    nigerian president
    The new bill if passed into law will expand the powers of the NPF from barely ‘peace-keeping’ to enforcing the peace. This development came just days after the controversial Governor elections in Ekiti state, Southern Nigeria which was marred by violence and alleged vote rigging.

    According to the new bill, section 4(a) states: that "The police shall while on election duty (a) safeguard the security of the lives and property of citizens during the campaign and voting so that citizens will not feel unsafe on account of holding, associating with or expressing a political opinion; (b) ensure the safety of electoral officers before, during and after election; (c) provide security for candidates during campaigns and elections.”

    The This Day newspaper reported that other sections of the bill stated: “(d) ensure and preserve a free, fair, safe and lawful atmosphere for campaigning by all parties and candidates without discrimination; (e) maintain peaceful conditions, law and order around the polling and counting centres; (f) provide security for electoral officials at voting and counting centres, and ensure the security of election materials at storing, voting centres, and also in transit. It is the duty of the police to ensure that election materials are not stolen, hijacked, destroyed or fraudulently altered by any group or person."

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