Police to deploy 23,000 cops for Edo election (Is it war or election?)

Posted by admin Edo, Headlines, Nigerian Police, State News Thursday, August 25th, 2016

Alexander Okere, Benin

The Nigeria Police on Thursday said that no fewer than 23,000 personnel, comprising officers and rank and file, would be deployed to 2,627 polling units for next month’s governorship election in Edo State.

The Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Operations, Joshak Habila, who disclosed this during a visit to the state command to assess the level of preparedness for exercise, was accompanied by the Assistant Inspector General in charge of Zone 5, Olayinka Sodipo.

Nineteen political parties are expected to participate in the election.

Habila also said that 1,152 Hilux vans and 54 coastal buses would be provided to convey the personnel to their various duty posts across the 18 local government areas of the state.

He explained that the marine police would cover the riverine locations in Ovia North-East, Ovia South-West and Ikpoba-Okha LGAs, while flash points had been crime-mapped and geo-located for additional security.

Habila noted that a security data plan had been mapped out, in view of the security challenges that affected elections in the country.

He noted, “I want to remind you that the election in Edo State is going to serve as a test case in the ability of the police and other security agencies.

“Remember that we are not the drivers of the engine of elections in Nigeria. But we are responsible for providing robust and adequate security for those that are involved.”

While assuring voters and the media of their safety, the DIG warned that armed thuggery during the voting exercise would not be tolerated, adding that cases of unlawful possession of firearms would also be addressed swiftly.

He also warned the officers and men of the command to remain neutral and respect the rights of civilians in the discharge of their duties, as the Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, would not hesitate to sanction all erring personnel appropriately.

Earlier, the AIG had urged the officers to maintain professionalism in the discharge of their duties.

He also reiterated the readiness of the zonal headquarters to provide effective and efficient policing throughout the voting exercise.

The Commissioner of Police, Chris Ezike, who is the Chairman of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security, noted that five personnel from different security agencies would be stationed at each of the polling units.

Ezike added that each policeman on election duty would be identified with a codifying tag to manage the use of orderlies and armed escorts as security details.

… arrest 30 touts, recover 75 vehicles in Aba

Ogbonnaya Ikokwu, Umuahia

Over 30 persons believed to be touts operating illegally in different parts of Aba and its environs as agents of the Abia State Government have been arrested and detained by officers of Aba State Police Command.

Governor Okezie Ikpeazu had, in a press release, directed the Aba Area Commander, ACP Peter Wagbara, to retrieve vehicles illegally impounded and dumped at the premises of Abia State Fire Service and Ministry of Works in Aba, respectively, after it was learnt that the touts who posed as government agents impounded vehicles and in most cases collected money without paying such into the coffers of the government.

Ikpeazu, who spoke through his Chief Press Secretary, Mr. Enyinnaya Appolos, also directed Wagbara to immediately seal off the premises of the Ministry of Works and the slate Fire Service at Aba, where touts and hoodlums parading themselves as “task force teams” used as their “offices”.

But search by our correspondent revealed that some of the illegal and unapproved government agents had people in government who they shared certain percentage of the money they collected from both commercial and private motorists with on a daily basis.

It was learnt that they (the touts and government agents) issued fake receipts to their victims without remitting same into the approved government account(s).

Sources within the Aba State Police Area Command said that as at the last count while filing this report, 75 vehicles whose owners were yet to come, identify and collect freely, according to the directives from the state government, have been retrieved and parked at the premises of the Aba State Area Command.

Wagbara while monitoring the execution of the state government’s directive at the premises of the Ministry of Works, along Aba-Ikot Ekpene expressway, confirmed the arrest of some persons operating illegally as government agents. He also announced the retrieval of some vehicles from the premises of Ministry of Works and the state Fire Service office in Aba.

He urged people whose vehicles were confiscated and impounded by the touts to come to the Aba State Area Command of the Nigeria Police with proof of ownership. He said they should come and carry their vehicle free of charge, as was directed by the state government.

-Punch

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