• Top officers pledge better performance
• Discover bomb factory in Enugu
• Say Lagos monarch denied alleged inciting statement

Ahead of Saturday’s governorship and Houses of Assembly elections, the Nigeria Police has begun review of its monitoring strategies with a view to effectively tackling any criminal act that may scuttle efforts at delivering free, fair and credible polls across the country.

As part of the move to ensure hitch-free polls, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Suleiman Abba, has warned all security personnel attached to political office holders, to henceforth stop escorting their principals to election venues, as those found carrying firearms to such venues would be arrested and prosecuted. Also, authorities of the Nigeria Police have perfected plan to deploy more personnel to states, including Rivers, noted for their volatility during elections.

Also yesterday, Abba said the Oba of Lagos, Rilwan Akiolu, has denied threatening prospective voters opposed to his candidate of choice for the post of governor, contrary to reports in the media, and so cannot be held culpable.

A statement by the Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), Emmanuel Ojukwu said, Abba issued the warning because it is the only security operatives assigned to monitor elections that have the right to be found at the venue of the exercise, including polling booths and collation centers.

The statement reads in part: “The Force has sternly warned all security details attached to political office holders to desist from accompanying their principals to polling booths and collation centres during the election.
“It noted that only police personnel specifically assigned for election duties must be seen within and around the election designated places.

“The IGP also reiterated his earlier warning that no armed police escort must be seen escorting politicians to the polling units as such policemen would be arrested and made to face stern disciplinary action.”

While commending the efforts of the policemen and other security operatives during the presidential elections held in March, Abba said the cooperation of the Nigerian public made the successes recorded possible, as this ensure a hitch-free and peaceful process.

Abba, while briefing the press yesterday in Abuja at a meeting with management, zonal commanders and states commissioner of Police (CPs) said: “We are re-strategizing on the crime prevention and control and that is why we are deploying more officers to volatile states like Rivers. We have so far arrested three suspects in connection with the Enugu bomb blast, and so far, we have arrested 124 people for different electoral offences. We have 124 incidences of violence, and so far, quite a number of the suspected perpetrators have been taken to court. Arrests have been made, and there are suspects identified in Rivers. We have arrested those that were suspected to be directly involved, including the masterminds, but some are still being investigated.

“The agenda for this meeting includes strengthening our deployment for Rivers and other states where we really need to prevent lawlessness. There are other states where we also need to strengthen our deployments from senior officers down, so that we take charge.”

On the threat statement credited to the Oba Of Lagos to the effect that if the Igbo voted for a particular candidate against his own choice, they would be drowned in the lagoon, the IGP said he cannot initiate any move to prosecute the monarch or say anything on the matter, because the paramount ruler has denied making any such statement. “On the Oba of Lagos making statement about who the voters should vote for in the next elections, I must tell you I saw it in the media and I tried all my best to verify whether that statement was made, and so far, what I have been able to gather is the fact that the Oba himself denied it.

“And if he denied it, who am I to say that he said it. However if for any reason it becomes the subject of any further efforts to confirm if he said so or not, we should leave that for the future, but for now, this is what I have,” the police boss said.

While noting that the meeting was also to assess the achievements of the police during the last elections, discuss the lessons learnt and the challenges faced so as to enable them reposition for better performance, the IG said the Nigeria Police will proffer solution to the electoral crimes, such as ballot snatching, and will ensure that they don’t crop up in the coming election.

On the alleged bomb blast at a polling station in Enugu during the presidential and National Assembly elections, Abba said a bomb-making factory where the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was manufactured has been discovered in Enugu. “That alone is a big success so far recorded in the saga, but the Police have not rested on their oars to bring to book those that were involved in the act.”

Some top police officers across the country have pledged to ensure a violence-free governorship and state House of Assemblies election come Saturday. They pledged to ensure that all the lapses noticed during the last presidential election are addressed with a view to ensuring a rancour-free polls.

Speaking to The Guardian, the Spokesman of the Nigeria Police Force, Ojukwu, said: “We have invested so much in the area of training and lectures for our officers and men so Nigerians would see policemen who are professional and dedicated to their duty on Saturday. The Inspector General of Police has lectured the Assistant Inspectors General of Police and commissioners of police and they will not give anything short of excellence.”

Lagos State Police Command spokesman, Ken Nwosu, said his command will address lapses noticed during the presidential election.

“We would ensure that the few lapses we experienced during the last election are rectified. The command is able and ready to supervise a violence-free election. We are replicating the template used for the last presidential election with minor adjustments.

“The Commissioner of Police Cornelius Aderanti assures Lagosians that security of lives and property would be guaranteed on Saturday. People should come out en masse and vote for candidates of their choice.”

The Edo State Police boss, Samuel Adegbuyi, told The Guardian that his men would ensure peace on that day.

Delta State Police boss, Alkali Baba, said the state would continue to witness peace during and after the election.

“We are strategizing. We did very well in the last election. We are improving on what we did the last time. We are still talking to stakeholders and politicians ahead of the governorship election to ensure that their supporters conduct themselves in orderly