…Urges professionalism in handling sensitive election materials
President Muhammadu Buhari has urged the military and other security agencies to remain apolitical in their involvement in the provision of security during the forthcoming 2023 General Elections.
The President made the call yesterday, at the inauguration of the Defence Intelligence Agency (DIA) Estate at Idu-Karmo, in Abuja.
Buhari said that security agencies would be engaged with various support and assistance in the elections, particularly with the distribution and monitoring of classified materials and other logistics. These, he warned, must be done professionally and in accordance with Standing Operation Procedures.
“I, therefore, urge you to remain apolitical and desist from behaviour that could bring disrepute to the agency and our country by compromising democracy,” he said.
While commending the efforts of DIA in providing accommodation for its personnel, Buhari said that the efforts could be better understood by making the connection between shelter and productivity. This, he said, underpinned his administration’s vision for the provision of shelter to improve performance as well as comfort for workers, families and communities.
The Chief of Defence Intelligence (CDI), Maj.-Gen. Samuel Adebayo, said he identified three critical areas of consideration for a professional workforce for the agency upon assumption of office.
The three areas, according to him, are technical intelligence capabilities, human capacity development and staff welfare, saying the staff quarters acquired will ameliorate the accommodation challenges faced by the agency.
