Nigeria Police chief, Ibrahim Idris

The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Ibrahim Idris, has approved the deployment of additional 25, 000 personnel for the Edo governorship election scheduled for Saturday to ensure safety before, during and after the election.

This is contained in a statement issued in Abuja on Tuesday by the Force Spokesman, DCP Don Awunah.

He said that the personnel comprised of Police Mobile Force, Counter Terrorism Unit , Anti bomb Squad, Marine Police as well as conventional policemen.

Others are the Armament Units, Personnel from Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department, Force Intelligence Bureau and the Sniffer Dog Section.

Awunah also said police aerial surveillance helicopters and gun boats, 10 additional armoured personnel carriers and 550 patrol vehicles would be deployed.

He said that Idris was committed to ensuring that the election was conducted in accordance with the electoral law.

The spokesman said that a Deputy-Inspector -General of Police, Assistant -Inspector General of Police and three Commissioners of Police have been deployed to coordinate the security operations.

He said Idris would convene a peace meeting of all the political parties, candidates, INEC officials, election observers and other stakeholders before the election.

“This meeting will focus on the overall desirability of peace during the election and adherence to the rules of the game.

“All police personnel and other complementing sister security agencies are under strict instructions to be professionally polite and civil but firm in the discharge of their statutory duties,“ he said.

Awunah said that the meeting was part of additional measures aimed at guaranteeing a credible election.

He advised political parties, traditional rulers, community leaders as well as parents and guardians to prevail on their members, supporters, subjects, children and wards to be law abiding.

“The spirit and letters of the law will be fully applied on any person or group of persons found violating the Electoral Act,’’ he said.

Awunah said Idris assured the electorate and all law abiding citizens of the state of adequate security throughout the election.

“He enjoins them to cooperate with the police in the discharge of their duties as the security personnel will operate within the framework of democratic policing, ‘’ he added. (NAN)