• Lagos police deploy 17,000 personnel
Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) in charge of the Force Criminal Investigations Department (FCID) and Coordinating DIG, Southwest, Johnson Kokumo, yesterday, warned officers of Nigeria Police against molesting citizens they are expected to protect during elections.
He spoke at Mrs. Grace Akpoyibo auditorium of the Police Officers Wives Association (POWA) secretariat in Government Reserved Area (GRA), Ikeja, Lagos, while briefing Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) and newsmen on police preparation for tomorrow’s election.
DIG Kokumo also warned citizens of neighbouring countries from entering into Nigeria during the elections, stressing that any incursion would not be treated with kid gloves.
He said the police are aware of the threat to the lives of residents in riverine communities, promising that the force will ensure their safety. He said: “We don’t expect people to start making incursions; particularly criminals from other countries into our territory. This will be prevented and it’s part of our strategies to ensure adequate security by restricting such elements from coming into our country.
“About areas prone to crisis, we have done our threat analysis, these areas are known to us and we will leave no stone unturned to ensure that adequate security measures are put in place.”
On the level of visibility, DIG Kokumo said Nigerians should expect increase in their presence in local environments as the police have about 80 to 90 per cent of the total personnel deployed for the election.
On the use of members of the National Union of Road Transport Workers (NURTW) during the election, he said: “The court has made a clear pronouncement. It’s a matter between NURTW and INEC so, ours is to ensure that we provide adequate security. I am sure that INEC would ensure that they don’t do anything that transgresses the law. They will do everything legally.
“ Our control room will be open 24/7. We expect the press to help us in this election, as we always say, we are not monopolising policing, and we are always ready to collaborate with members of the public.
“Our officers will maintain order. No officer will attack those they are meant to protect.” Speaking on the number of police deployed in Lagos, the Lagos State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Benjamin Hundeyin, said: “We are ready for the exercise and we remain committed to peace in Lagos. The Command has deployed 17,000 officers for the poll.”
