IGP, kick the non-violent poll pact in the arse now!

There are besetting security issues that the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mr Suleiman Abba, must confront, to secure a place in the heart of Nigerians.

Perhaps the most pivotal and daunting challenges before the IGP, is the forthcoming 2015 election. Abba must do everything within his power to ensure that the election is violence-free.

Already, there are fears that the election would be dogged by violence. This fear may force people to keep away from the polling booths.

It is vital for him to work, not just with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), but also with other security agencies.

He had often been accused by opposition political parties of being the puppet of the ruling party; this will be the time to prove his accusers wrong. 

He should do his job as a policeman, ordering arrest of any law-breaker on Election Day, irrespective of the person’s political leaning.

For the election to be violence-free, Abba and his lieutenants must be at the top of their game to ensure unlicensed arms in circulation are mopped up. 

Abba should use a politician or his thug, found with illegal arm, as a scapegoat. 

People making inciting comments should be arrested, interrogated and even prosecuted to save the country from conflagration.

There should be no sacred cow. This will serve as deterrent to others.

There is no harm in planting undercover policemen at party secretariats. These policemen may be the first to know about any forthcoming or planned violence, thus nipping it in the bud.

Abba by now ought to have started having security meetings with political leaders from different parties, preaching doctrine of peace and violence-free election.

In all, intelligence gathering is still the best policy for any standard police force to embrace. With it, police will become proactive by nipping violent crimes in the bud. 

Abba should not relax, relent or lower his guard because of some stupid, silly pact signed by apparently desperate politicians. 

Abba must remember that desperate men will do and say anything. Desperate situations, call for desperate measures. 

My take? They won't honour the pact. Perhaps, not them, but their supporters! You can take that to the bank! If they can't control their supporters, what then are we talking about?