…Deploys 33,783 officers
Ahead of Saturday’s election, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu Abubakar, announced the deployment of 33,783 police personnel to take charge of security.
Speaking at a stakeholders meeting organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Akure on yesterday, the IGP also announced total withdrawal or scaling down of the security details around politically exposed persons during the election.
He threatened to apprehend and prosecute anybody involved in any form of electoral malfeasance especially possession of weapon of violence of any description and engagement in corrupt inducement of the electorate.
Warning the electorate to vote and leave the polling stations or peacefully maintain the required distance, he said that nobody with branded clothes, cars or any other thing will be tolerated.
“Let me sincerely appreciate all stakeholders that worked assiduously together in delivering a peaceful, credible, free and fair election process in the recently conducted Edo State governorship election.
“Just as I assured of the avowed commitment of the Nigeria Police Force and other security agencies to a free, fair, credible and successful election in Edo State, I stand here today to once again unequivocally reassure all political actors, electorate, local and international observers and other stakeholders that the personnel of the Nigeria Police Force, as the lead agency in election security management in the country, and other security agencies shall maintain political neutrality and professionalism in the exercise of our statutory duties as provided for in the Electoral Act and other enabling laws in this Ondo gubernatorial election.
“In ensuring the credibility of the process, we have undertaken security threat assessment and all the flash points and actors engaged in, or planning to threaten the electoral process in Ondo State have been identified and strategies have been emplaced to frustrate their criminal, unpatriotic and undemocratic intentions,” he noted.
Revealing the number of deployments, he said: “In order to mitigate the identified threats, we shall be deploying, aside our intelligence assets, a total of 33,783 police personnel on election security duty in Ondo State. This will comprise of 30,933 conventional police personnel and 2,850 Special Police Units.
“The Police deployment will be complemented by an additional 3,500 manpower that will be drawn from other Security Agencies. The Military will be engaged for the purpose of securing the Inter State borders while the Nigeria Police Airwing will provide air surveillance. “
