2019 Elections: Foundation trains Northwest police officers in Kano

Ahead of the forthcoming general elections, a foundation under the auspices of Cleen Foundation has organised a two-day training workshop for police officers in Kano State on election security management for the 2019 general elections. The training workshop which started on Tuesday in Kano had in attendance, officers of the Nigeria Police Force comprising of both males and females of different ranks. Speaking on the occasion, the Executive Director Cleen foundation Dr. Benson Olugbuo stated that, the training is in line with the foundation’s mission of promoting public safety, security and accessible justice through the strategies of empirical research, legislative advocacy, demonstration programmes in partnership with government agencies, civil society and the private sector. Olugbuo who was represented by the assistant programme manager of the group, Mr. Oluwale Ojawale, stated that, participants were drawn from all the states of the North-West regions of the country mindful of the challenges facing the police as an institution and the general public expectation on the police to handle elections with sense of professionalism. The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Riskuwa Arabu Shehu represented by the administrative secretary of the Commission, Malam Muhammad Sani Muhammad stated that, the training is apt taking into consideration the key role the police play in electioneering processes as security agents. According to him, the training is aimed at exchanging experiences, ideas as well as discuss assessments made by the commission and the police force on how to conduct a free and fair election devoid of any form of violence as the case may be. He urged all participants to ensure that they stepped down all that they have learned during the training to other officers who will participate in the 2019 general elections. by Yakubu Salisu