Defence minister warns against last-minute deployments for election security

General Christopher Musa (retired), the former Minister of Defence, has cautioned security agencies against making last-minute preparations for election security. He emphasized that achieving lasting election security necessitates months of intelligence-driven planning and collaboration, rather than rushed deployments. At a seminar organized by Blueprint newspaper, Musa reiterated that election security should not be considered a one-time event, but an ongoing process that begins well before campaigns and extends even after the final vote tally.

He stressed that election security is not merely about physical protection of polling stations, but also combating cyber threats, misinformation, economic hardships, and the exploitation of ethnic and religious divisions. Musa introduced a six-pillar framework for bolstering election security, with the first pillar focusing on strategic intelligence as the foundation for election security planning.

He highlighted the need for threat assessments, early warning systems, and real-time information sharing among security, intelligence, and electoral institutions. The second pillar emphasized the importance of protecting digital infrastructure from cyber intrusions and malicious interference in an era of increasingly technology-enabled elections.

The third pillar focused on civil-military coordination, stressing the need for collaboration among security agencies while respecting their constitutional roles. The fourth pillar centered on unified strategic communication to counter misinformation, while the fifth and sixth pillars addressed creating a responsible information environment and fostering an engaged citizenry.

Former Zamfara State Governor AbdulAziz Yari also addressed the issue, warning politicians against using insecurity as a political tool and stressing the collective national responsibility in combating insecurity.