The Executive Director of the Media Foundation for West Africa (MFWA), Sulemana Braimah, has lauded the police for their professionalism in managing potentially volatile situations during last week’s general election.

Speaking on JoyNews’ Newsfile programme on Saturday, December 14, he reflected on the challenges posed by the actions of some youth during the election period.

He emphasised that the decisions taken by the police prevented the escalation of chaos.

Mr Braimah highlighted his initial concerns about the behaviour of some youths, noting that their actions could have led to a volatile situation.

“It got to a point where I was scared about the actions of the youth,” he said.

He explained that if the police had resorted to forceful measures such as tear gas or pepper spray, the situation could have resulted in chaos and a stampede.

“All that would have happened would have been unpleasant,” he added, stressing the gravity of the potential consequences.

Despite the challenges, Mr Braimah commended the police for their handling of the situation, particularly considering the scale of the election.

He noted that managing a national election is significantly more complex than handling a by-election, which involves only a few constituencies.

Given the large number of polling stations and constituencies involved, he described the police’s approach as commendable and professional.

In his remarks, Mr Braimah called for public appreciation of the police’s efforts in ensuring a peaceful election.

“The police did a fantastic and professional job and must be commended,” he stated.

His comments underscore the importance of security forces’ role in maintaining peace and order during critical national events like elections.