2023: The Terror Alert And How It May Adversely Affect The Forthcoming Election

Just 117 days before the 2023 general election in Nigeria, the government of the US and some other countries issued a terror alert to their citizens in the country. Are these alerts damaging to the forthcoming general election?

Everyone started reaching out to their relatives in the FCT following the news of the terror alert issued by the United States, United Kingdom, and other developed countries to their nationals resident in Nigeria.

These countries foresaw high-risk violence and threats to lives and property in Nigeria's major cities at the weekend.

Build up to 2023

2023 has become the most talked about political year in Nigeria for numerous reasons.

As the eighteen eligible political parties force their way into the hearts of Nigerian voters, the terror alert has soiled their minds and disrupted the election proceeding without a doubt.

The situation has heightened the already frightening insecurity across the country.

It has also put the safety of the voters in doubt even when the Nigerian political culture and electoral participation look to have improved going into 2023.

Are the Security agencies tired?

Recently, the security challenge has been taken to another level.

The Chief of Defence Staff, Lucky Irabor revealed that 80 per cent of members of the Armed Forces are engaged in 36 states to enforce internal security instead of discharging the core statutory duty of safeguarding and protecting the country's sovereignty.

If that is the case, critics have opined that the 2023 election might not be safe for potential voters, and the country could recall unprecedented political apathy.

Dealing with the menace

According to world scholar and former Minister of Foreign Affairs, Professor Bolaji Akinyemi, the government and politicians must pay critical attention to the implications of the terror alert.

He has suggested a halt to the ongoing electioneering because of the security challenges posed by crowded gatherings, which could be explored by criminals to cause havoc.

Professor Isaac Olawale Albert of the University of Ibadan added that every stakeholder responsible for defending the country should stand up to their responsibilities.

He was not surprised that those countries issued the terror alert.

The Professor of African History, Peace and Conflict Studies said questions such as 'will 2023 elections hold?', 'will it be violent free?' among others, are agitating the minds of members of the international community and charged journalists and indeed all Nigerians not to allow their reports and actions to worsen the current defective situation in Nigeria.

He stated that journalists have "a very important role to play" in assuaging the feeling of the international community as the election year approaches.

What has the electoral body said?

The National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu has repeatedly raised the issue of insecurity as the country prepares for the general election.

Though he recognises that the responsibility to guarantee security was outside the core mandate of INEC, he said his commission was synergising with security agencies towards paving the way for the enabling environment to deliver free, fair and credible elections in 2023.

Conclusion

The 2023 general election is crucial to Nigeria's political history. In the same vein, Nigerians' lives and property have to be secured going to this election.

The position of the military is worrying, and the federal government of Nigeria has to look into it critically.

Accordingly, as opposed to how the presidency, through the minister of Information degraded the terror alert, the Nigerian government should be open to the security advisory.

The lives of ordinary Nigerians are too expensive to be trifled with at a time such as this.

The military has also recorded successes in recent months in the fight against insurgency in Nigeria.

But as we creep into the election year, its operation needs to improve drastically so that Nigerians can exercise their fundamental rights come 2023.