NIGERIA DECIDES: INEC guarantees security during vote

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Nigeria's electoral body says it has put measures in place to ensure the safety of Nigerians during the presidential election set to be held on February 16.

“A lot of security issues are being considered to ensure the safety of personnel, the safety of voters, the safety of election stakeholders including the media that will be going round to cover the elections,” said Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Deputy Director of Publicity, Aliyu Bello. “As far as that is achieved, I can say that security is almost guaranteed,” Bello said.

Nigeria – especially the northern part of the country – has been dogged by security challenges for years, perpetrated by Islamist terror group Boko Haram.

While the government has made strides against the terrorists over the years and forced them into hiding, they still stage attacks occasionally in the northern region.

INEC however assured Nigerians that the vote was secured, and that security agencies had ensured no loopholes were left open.

“All we are waiting for is the D-day to demonstrate to Nigerians the capacity of not only INEC, but also of the security agencies to provide peaceful elections,” Bello said.