The Nigerian police Force with sister security agencies have retariated their resolve to deal with electoral offenders come September 19,as Edo people go to the poll to elect the next governor of the State.
The agencies involved are: the Nigerian Police,the Army,the Air Force, the Civil Defence Corps,the Immigration Service,the Correctional Service,others include,the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and the Federal Road Safety Corps.
The Deputy Inspector General of Police, Adeleye Oyebade while briefing Journalists in Benin City Wednesday said an Inter-agency consultative committee on Election Security ( ICCES) had been constituted to check electoral malpractice come September 19 gubernatorial election.He said the brief of the committee was to ensure a free , fair, transparent and credible election.
He said the IGP, Mohammed Adamu has resolved to protect the democratic process by ensuring that an enabling environment and a level playing ground is created for all players. Maintaining that adequate conventional, plain clothed and special forces had been deployed to protect voters.
According to him, ” We have carried out security threat analysis hence, all identified vulnerable points, entry and exit points havebeen mapped out for special security coverage, while the military is expected to perform the required complementary role of outer cordoning.
He also stated that, for effective manning of the 2,627 polling points in the state,no fewer than three Policemen and other security agencies will be deployed in each polling unit.
” Let me at this juncture assure the good people of Edo State that the officers deployed for this special assignment will be apolitical, neutral and professional in their constitutional responsibilities.For effective manning of the polling booths,no fewer than three police officers and personnel of other security agencies will be deployed in each of the 2,627 polling points.”
“The Nigerian Police Force is working in tandem with the Independent National Electoral Commission and other members of the ICCES as well as other relevant stakeholders to ensure the success of this election.The police will not shrink in their constitutional responsibility of protecting lives and property of the citizens.” He concluded.
