The Police Service Commission (PSC) announced that it will deploy staff members to all 774 local government areas across Nigeria to monitor police conduct during the 2023 general elections, scheduled for Saturday, February 25, and March 11, 2023. As a federal executive body, the PSC holds a constitutional mandate to discipline and exercise control over officers of the Nigeria Police Force, except for the Inspector‑General of Police, along with other constitutional responsibilities.
In a statement obtained by our correspondent on Wednesday, PSC spokesperson Ikechukwu Ani explained that the commission will ensure officers operate within the defined rules of engagement prescribed for election duties. “The success of the 2023 general elections largely depends on how effective and efficient the police, the lead agency in internal security, are,” Ani said, emphasizing the importance of inter‑agency collaboration with sister security agencies.
The PSC will soon release guidelines on police conduct during the elections to direct officers involved in election security. It will also provide dedicated telephone numbers for Nigerians to call and either complain about or commend police officers during the voting period. Officers found negligent or engaged in official misconduct will be disciplined in accordance with the law.
Police officers are advised to limit their role to providing security and to refrain from acting as conductors for vote‑buying or other misconduct. The commission affirmed that it will continue to hold the police accountable for their conduct, viewing this oversight as a contribution to deepening Nigeria’s democracy.
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