Acting inspector-general of police, Ibrahim Idris Friday told police officers assigned to election
duties in the forth-coming governorship poll in Edo and Ondo state to
remain neutral and be professional in the conduct of their duties.
Speaking with assistant inspectors-general of police and
commissioners of police, Idris said the police is coming up with strategic
operational order for the Edo governorship election.
He hinted that the order could include the deployment of marine
personnel and helicopters, while surveillance may be backed up with over 200
vehicles reinforced with thousands of officers and men.
The IGP urged the state commissioners and other officers to use
the logistics meticulously to have a peaceful election.
He, however, said Ondo might present some challenges to the
police due to the high number of contestants.
His words: “This is the
area I think we are going to have challenges. I have directed the DIG and he is
going there on Friday, because the primary election would come up on Saturday.
We have to ensure that Ondo has a
free and fair election.”
“We want all police officers that would be deployed for the
elections to be apolitical; we should operate within the confines of our
electoral laws.
We had rerun elections in Kogi,
Imo and Kano and I think the
elections were successful.”
He urged then to continue to maintain neutrality in all the
elections because it impacts on the public image of the force.
The IGP promised to ensure that there would be no rerun election
in Edo and Ondo, having had several reruns in some of the recent elections.
He explained that most of the elections “ended in reruns due to
one problem or another, but this time around, we are going to get it right and
I want all our officers to excel in these elections.”
According to him: “In the commands where rerun or staggered
elections would take place be assured that the police high command is solidly
behind you.
But, you must ensure that your security plan is water- tight,
including ensuring the safety of electoral materials and off
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