Gen. Olonisakin inspects army 'election security situation room', commends Buratai

News Agency Of Nigeria

February 16, 2019 11:45 AM

The Chief of Defence Staff (CDS), Gen. Abayomi Olanisakin commended the Nigerian Army for responsively and proactively establishing the Elections Security Monitoring Situation Centre at the army Headquarters Cyber Warfare Command.

Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai

Col. Sagir Musa, the army spokesman in a statement on Saturday said that the CDS gave the commendation after he inspected the centre.

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt.-Gen. Tukur Buratai launched the centre on Wednesday in readiness to monitor and respond to possible security challenges during the elections.

Lagos State Governor, Akinwunmi Ambode meets with Chief of Army Staff, Lieutenant General Tukur Buratai on May 25, 2016 ece-auto-gen

However, a few hours to the commencement of the Presidential and National Assembly elections scheduled for Saturday, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) rescheduled it by one week ( to Feb. 23), citing logistics challenges.

Olonisakin noted the Army's election security situation room would assist in intelligence and information gathering and sharing for army units and formations nationwide.

According to him, this is with with the view to strengthen democracy and election security before and during the 2019 general elections.

He commended the army chief for his foresight in establishing the centre which he said was for the benefit of the country.

Tukur Buratai ece-auto-gen

He urged the commander and other personnel of the centre to continue with the good work and ensure alertness and sense of responsibility.

Earlier, Buratai noted that past electioneering processes were characterised by cycle of violence.

He said this informed the army to adopt a proactive and responsive posture that would enable it respond to early signs of insecurity before they could escalate into a major security challenge.

Buratai also said that this informed the launch of Operation Safe Conduct as as well as the situation room for real-time monitoring of the 2019 general elections.

News Agency Of Nigeria