CSOs praise army, police for peaceful transition

The coalition of civil society groups on sustenance of democracy and peace in Africa, have applauded security forces for a peaceful and seamless transition of power on May 29.

On Monday, Bola Tinubu was sworn in as Nigeria’s 16th president after a handover of power from former President Muhammadu Buhari.

African leaders in attendance included South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and Rwandan President Paul Kagame, while delegations from the United States President Joe Biden and King Charles III of England also witnessed the inauguration.

The Nigerian military had warned against plans to sabotage the handover of power to Tinubu and assured that perpetrators would be dealt with.

Usman Baba, the inspector-general of police (IGP), had also said those planning to disrupt the inauguration ceremonies would be “identified, promptly isolated, and brought to justice”.

Commending the security operatives in a press conference on Thursday, Ifure Ataifure, executive director of the CSOs coalition, said the armed forces and police ensured that the enemies of Nigeria’s democracy were neutralized.

Ataifure said the success of the inauguration was built on the achievements of the largely peaceful general election under the watch of the security agencies.

“The role of the Nigerian police in the conduct of the 2023 general elections in Nigeria must be emphasised,” he said.

“From our findings, the Nigerian police ensured that election materials and electoral officials were provided adequate security during and after the elections. This resulted in minimal cases of electoral violence across the country.

“The armed forces of the federal republic of Nigeria were exceptional and largely instrumental in the relative peace experienced across the country. The Armed Forces provided much-needed support to the Nigerian police and other security agencies.

“The armed forces also ensured the success of the transition process from one democratically elected government to another.”

Ataifure said the failure of mischievous groups to disrupt the inauguration was indicative of the role of the armed forces in the preservation of democracy in Nigeria.

“The Coalition of Civil Society Groups on the Sustenance of Democracy and Peace in Nigeria is using this medium to commend the security agencies for their invaluable contributions to the success of the 2023 general elections in Nigeria and the smooth transition of power from one democratically elected government to another,” he added.