IGP, Alkali Baba Usman Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba, has ordered a restriction of all forms of vehicular movements on roa...
IGP, Alkali Baba Usman
Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba, has ordered a restriction of all forms of vehicular movements on roads, waterways, and other forms of transportation, from 12 midnight tomorrow to 6 pm on Saturday across the country.
Baba, gave the order in Abuja on Thursdayin a statement by the force Public Relations Officer, Olumiyiwa Adejobi.
He said only those on essential services such as Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) officials, electoral observers, ambulances responding to medical emergencies, firefighters, journalists are allowed to move on election day.
He said the measures was put in place to ensure a safe, secure, and conducive environment for the conduct of elections.
He said it is also aimed at ensuring public order management, the safety of electorate, as well as assisting the security agencies in effective policing and preventing hoodlums and criminally-minded elements from disrupting the electoral process.
The IGP, in the statement warned all security aides and escorts to desist from accompanying their principals and politicians to polling booths and collation centres on election day as anyone found flouting the directive will be severely sanctioned.
He warned that only security personnel specifically assigned to election duties are to be seen within and around the designated election booths and centres.
He stated that the ban on the unauthorised use of sirens, revolving lights, covered number plates, and tinted glasses is still in force, and violators would be sanctioned appropriately. All state-established and owned security outfits/organisations, quasi-security units, and privately-owned guard and security outfits are also barred from participating in election security management.
Though the IGP empathised with well-meaning citizens on the inconveniences of the restrictions, the IGP urged all active electorate to be law-abiding and turn out en masse to exercise their franchise.
He, however, warned that the force will deal decisively with any individual(s) or group(s) that might want to test “our common resolve and might to ensure a peaceful election.”
...Lagos deploys 27,000 officers
The Lagos state Police Command has deployed over 27,000 officers to ensure peaceful election during the Saturday's Presidential and National Assembly elections.
Deputy Inspector General, Force Operations, DIG Johnson Babatunde Kokumo, on behalf of Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, disclosed this to newsmen at meeting in Lagos.
The meeting was geared towards the preparedness of the command for the election.
The DiG charged Police personnel to adhere strictly to policing responsibility during the 2023 General Elections stressing, "we are to ensure that the election is peaceful, free of crisis and fair."
He further stressed that Police officers must be apolitical to achieve a peaceful election.
The DIG urged senior police officers in attendance, to ensure that they abide by the Electoral Act by ensuring that the election was free, fair and credible in all parts of the state.
“We are supposed to be apolitical. We should not unleash terror on the members of the public. Don’t use arm on harmless members of the public.
“We are to be civil, respect the rights of citizens. We are to collaborate with sister security agencies, but we are to take lead according to the Electoral Act,” he said.
He further said that the IGP has ordered for a special deployment in the air, land and water, with collaboration with sister security agencies operating in those areas.
The DIG urged the command to set up a special electoral investigation team at the State CID where all cases and arrest relating to the elections would be treated immediately.
He also directed the command to ensure that the border posts were well policed with a view to prevent non-Nigerians incursion during the elections.
The Lagos State Police Commissioner, CP Idowu Owohunwa, in his response, assured the DIG that the police in Lagos will not disappoint the residents and the nation at large.
“I assured DIG that we will not fail in Lagos as a command with God’s guidance and commitments of the men I have. We will not fail the nation.
“We assured people in Lagos State that we will not fail in our elections’ duties. We shall make the nation proud,” Owohunwa assured.
No comments