The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, on Friday ordered water tight security across 13 states of Nigeria where the bye-elections would hold on Saturday, August 16, 2025.

IGP Egbetokun in a statement signed by the spokesman of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi,
also reiterated his earlier directives on the deployment of operational logistics to the affected states and Local Government Areas where the bye-elections would hold to provide an enabling environment for a free and fair elections.

The affected states include Anambra, Kano, Oyo, Taraba, Enugu, Adamawa, Edo, Jigawa, Kogi, Kano, Ogun, Zamfara, and Niger States.

“In order to ensure smooth elections, the IGP has directed the deployment of senior officers of the rank of Assistant Inspector-General of Police and Commissioners of Police to assist State Commissioners of Police to ensure proper supervision over the electoral process for a smooth and hitch free election, while officers and men of the Police Mobile Force, Special Intervention Squad, Force Intelligence Department and other tactical units have equally been deployed,” Adejobi said.

Adejobi added that the IGP has also ordered the restriction of all forms of vehicular movement on roads, waterways, and other forms of transportation, from 12 am to 6 pm on election day within affected Local Government Areas with the exception of those on essential services including INEC Officials, Accredited Media and Electoral Observers, Ambulances responding to medical emergencies, and firefighters.

Similarly, Egbetokun has reiterated the ban on all security aides to VIPs and escorts from accompanying their principals and politicians to polling booths and collation centres during the election.

Adejobi said state-established and owned security outfits/organizations, quasi-security units, and privately-owned guards and security outfits are also barred from participating in election security management.

“The Inspector General of Police hereby charges all officers deployed for this special duty to ensure compliance with NPF standard operational protocols for elections and further urges all citizens to be law abiding during and after the elections and assures that all necessary security arrangements have been emplaced to ensure their right to vote is unobstructed,” Adejobi said.