Babagana Monguno, the national security adviser to President Muhammadu Buhari, has assured Nigerians that the February 25 and March 11 elections would be peaceful.

Mr Monguno gave the assurance during his meeting with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and leadership of security agencies in the country.

He said the meeting was to look at issues that dominated the country’s political and economic spaces in the last couple of weeks, leading to apprehensions, agitation, fear and uncertainty regarding the elections.

“We are all aware of the current situation in the country. There is a need for me to reassure citizens of this country that whatever fears, whatever agitations we have, I would want to dispel such feelings,” said Mr Monguno. “The 2023 elections will go on in a climate devoid and bereft of rancour. The security agencies have done a lot in the last couple of months to put things in place.”

The NSA explained that the security agencies were sure of the measures they had put in place.

“We are not in any way in doubt what the situation of the country is, but we need to let the entire country know that agents of bad news are peddling all kinds of stories around. We see these on social media and hear things on many platforms,” stated the presidential security adviser. “If these are intended to scare people, I want to dispel such illusions.”

He added, “It is very important that Nigerians are not pushed to the limit where they will abandon their number one responsibility as citizens. I have confidence in the work security agencies have been doing.”

Mr Monguno said that the remaining days to the election would be used to intensify efforts among security agencies for election security.

(NAN)