From Molly Kilete, Abuja
INSPECTOR General of Police (IGP), Solomon Arase, has approved the deployment of 6,000 conventional policemen to Rivers State, ahead of the re-run elections slated for March 19.
Similarly the IGP, has deployed 14 units of Police Mobile Force personnel (MOPOL,. Each unit is made up of 16 policemen), to complement personnel of Rivers State Command during the election.
Arase, who made this known in Abuja, equally announced the deployment of three Commissioners of Police to supervise security arrangements within the three senatorial districts – Rivers East, Rivers West and Rivers South-East respectively.
The IGP, in a statement signed by the force Public Relations Officer, Bisi Kolawole, directed the AIG in charge of Zone 6 Calabar, AIG Adisa Baba-Bolanta to relocate to Port Harcourt for pre-elections preparations, to ensure a conducive environment for free, fair and credible election.
The statement made available in Abuja said the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Operations, DIG Sontoye Wakama, has also been directed to proceed to Rivers immediately to hold meetings with stakeholders and officers in the state command on the need for peaceful conduct before, during and after the re-run.
Assuring law-abiding citizens of the state of a secure and enabling environment to exercise their franchise, the IGP, however, warned all security details to desist from accompanying their principals and politicians to polling booths and collation centres during the election.