Police to deploy 23,000 personnel for election

Nigeria Police

No fewer than 23,000 officers and men of the Nigeria Police would be deployed to cover the 2,627 polling units across Edo State.

This was disclosed by the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) in charge of Operations, Joshak Habila‎, when he visited the state’s command to assess the level of preparedness.

Besides, Habila said 1,152 Hilux vans and 54 Coastal buses would be provided to convey the personnel to their various duty posts across the 18 local ‎council areas.

He added that marine police would be deployed to cover the riverine locations in Ovia North-East, Ovia South-West and Ikpoba-Okha Local Council areas.

The police chief explained that flash points had been “crime-mapped and geo-located for additional security.”

He said this step became necessary because of the security challenges facing the conduct of elections in the country.

Habila assured voters and the media of their safety and warned that no violence would be tolerated‎ during the exercise.

He added that cases of unlawful possession of firearms would be swiftly addressed.

He said: “The Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris is very passionate about the success of this election. You must be apolitical. The success of the election depends on you. Do not allow anybody to deceive you to do the wrong thing.

“Patrol vehicles will be placed at strategic locations to enable a swift response. Whosever causes trouble will be dealt with according to the law.”

The AIG urged men of the command to be neutral and respect the rights of civilians in the discharge of their duties.

According to him, the IG would not hesitate to appropriately sanction any erring official.‎

Earlier, the Assistant Inspector General (AIG) in charge of Zone 5, Kolawole Sodipo, charged them to maintain professionalism in the discharge of their duties.

He reiterated the readiness of the zonal headquarters to provide effective and efficient policing ‎throughout the voting.

The state’s Commissioner of Police, Chris Ezike, who is the Chairman of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security, said five personnel ‎from different security agencies would be stationed at each of the polling units.

He explained that each policeman on duty ‎would be identified with a codifying tag, to manage the use of orderlies and armed escorts as security details.