The police have
deployed 30,000 operatives, two helicopters and 250 patrol vehicles, including
five Armoured Personnel Carriers, for the July 14 governorship election in
Ekiti State.
The Force Public
Relations Officer, acting DCP Jimoh Moshood, said in a statement in Abuja on
Sunday that the security operation for the poll would be supervised by the
Deputy Inspector-General of Police, Operations, Joshiak Habila, who would be
assisted by an Assistant Inspector-General of Police, four Commissioners of
Police, eight Deputy Commissioners of Police and 18 Assistant Commissioners of
Police.
He explained that each
Senatorial district would be manned by a Commissioner of Police.
“To ensure adequate
security and safety of life and property before, during and after the
elections, the IGP has approved the deployment of 30,000 police personnel in
Ekiti State for the election.
“Four policemen and two
others from other security agencies will be on duty at each polling unit
throughout the state. The Police Mobile Force,to be headed by a very senior
officer, will provide security at the results collation centres,” the statement
explained.
The deployment, the
police said, also included 10 Armoured Personnel vehicles, Police Mobile Force
Units, Counter-Terrorism Unit, the Special Protection Unit, the Anti-Bomb
Squad, conventional policemen, the Armament Unit, Force Criminal Intelligence
and Investigation Department and the sniffer dogs section.
The force stated that
other security and safety agencies who are members of the Inter-Agency
Consultative Committee on Election Security in the state would complement the
Nigeria Police during the election.
The police added that
threat assessment had been carried out in the state and all identified
flashpoints and trouble-prone areas had been addressed, stressing that it would
deal with anyone or group “no matter how highly placed whose utterances or
conduct are contrary to the electoral Act or that could incite disturbance of
public peace, law and order before, during or after the election.”
Moshood explained that
special security identification tags would be worn by all the security
personnel on election duty, insisting that no operative would be allowed to
move to any other location during the election period other than where he was
deployed.
“As part of additional
measures to guarantee a peaceful and credible election, the IGP will on July 9
attend a stakeholder and peace accord meeting of all the 35 political parties
participating in the election and their candidates, election officials,
observers and other accredited stakeholders in Ado-Ekiti, Ekiti State,” Moshood
explained.
He declared that
security personnel attached to public office holders and politicians would not
be allowed to follow their principals to the polling units or collation
centres.
“Commissioners of
Police and their personnel in states close to Ekiti State, such as Ondo, Osun,
Kwara, Kogi, Ogun, Edo and Oyo States have been directed by the IG to be on the
red alert with their personnel.
“Restriction of
vehicular movement in and out of Ekiti State will commence from 12-midnight of
Friday, 13th July 2018 till the end of the election. Travellers and other road
users are advised to make use of alternative routes. However, those on
essential duties on the genuine course will be granted passage,” the police
said.
Copyright PUNCH.
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