Police deploy three officers to each of 2,627 polling booths

Oyo NSCDC sends 150 men for exercise
The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has deployed no fewer than three police officers to each of the 2,627 polling booths in Edo State during Saturday’s governorship election.

Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG), Research and Planning, Adeleye Oyebade, disclosed this in Benin City at a media briefing to announce the setting up of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES).

Oyebade said the police officers to be deployed to the polling units have been cautioned to remain non-partisan, neutral and professional in the discharge of their duties.

“The police officers have been properly briefed on their expected roles and conduct during the election, bearing in mind strict adherence to the principles and rules of the Code of Conduct for Officers and Men of the Nigeria Police Force.

“All other security personnel deployed for the election must also adhere to the code of conduct and rules of engagement on election duty. For effective manning of the polling booths, three police officers and personnel of other security agencies will be deployed to each of the 2,627 polling booths,” he stated.

He assured Edo people that the officers would be neutral and professional in their constitutional responsibilities, adding, “The police officers and their counterparts from sister agencies, who are involved in this election, will be posted to the polling booths by name and would wear recognisable tags for easy identification.”

SIMILARLY, Oyo State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) said it deployed about 150 officers to complement other security personnel drafted for the Saturday exercise.

State Commandant of the NSCDC, Iskilu Akinsanya, stated this while addressing the officers before embarking on their journey to Edo State.

He advised the officers to be of good conduct, be ambassador of their homes and exhibit utmost professionalism in discharging their duties during the election.

Akinsanya stated further that as a security agent, they should ensure free, fair and credible election devoid of bribery, rigging and hijacking of the ballot boxes by hoodlums anywhere they were posted to.

Stressing the need for collaboration to achieve a common goal, he enjoined the officers to synergise with officers of other security agencies to protect youth corps members, electoral officers, electoral materials, the citizens and government property during the exercise.