Navy, marine police to carry out 24-hour surveillance of Lagos coastal communities

• Imo NLC tasks INEC on transparency, seeks payment of workers’ salaries
• Rivers CP flays Wike over alarm of REC’s kidnap

Lagos State Commissioner of Police (CP), Zubairu Muazu yesterday said the command will commence a 24-hour patrol and surveillance in coastal communities of the state.

He explained that the exercise is part of security measures to ensure violence-free elections on Saturday.

Muazu said the command had also identified flash points across the state, saying security agents have been placed on surveillance of such areas.

He noted that suspected leader of thugs that disrupted elections in Okota area of Lagos during the Presidential and National Assembly elections, identified as Demola, did not escape from hospital, as widely speculated.

The CP stated that Demola and other arrested suspects in connection with elections offences, had been transferred to the Force headquarters, Abuja, following Inspector General of Police (IGP)’s directive.

Briefing newsmen on the command’s preparedness for the elections, Muazu disclosed that it had reviewed its strategies to ensure safety of Lagos people.

Although he described the Presidential and National Assembly elections as peaceful, he however, stressed that there were two major disruptions in the state, before and after the exercise.

Muazu described reports of the elections on social media as fabricated, and therefore, cautioned those spreading fake news to desist or face the wrath of the law.

We have reviewed our strategies to ensure peaceful conduct of the gubernatorial and state House of Assembly elections come March 9, 2019.

“Our surveillance and patrols are intensified, especially in identified flash points, while patrol on riverine communities will be intensified by the Navy and Marine Police.

“Military personnel and operatives of the Department of State Security Service (DSS) will be stationed at designated points,” he stated.

However, Imo State chapter of the Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) has asked the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to be unbiased in the conduct of Saturday’s elections in the state.

The Labour union made the call in a statement issued after its emergency meeting in Owerri.

State Chairman, Comrade Chilakpu and Secretary, Comrade Ken Onwuemedo, stated that the union also enjoined all candidates to play by the rules and avoid character assassination or anything that would cause a breach of peace during the polls.

They also mandated the state government to pay all workers their February 2019 salaries without further delay, as well as pay pensioners.

The Imo NLC also directed that the state government should, as a matter of urgency, pay judiciary workers, Imo Bureau of Due Process, Imo SACA and other establishments arrears of their salaries.

Meanwhile, the Rivers State Police Command has decried Governor Nyesom Wike’s allegation of planned kidnap of the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), Oboh Effanga and subsequent postponement of Saturday’s polls in the state.

Commissioner for Police (CP), Usman Belele, said the Nigeria Police Force being the lead Agency in Internal Security and on Election Security Duties is disturbed by Wike’s ‘spurious claims’ and therefore refutes it.