Polls: Police ban thugs, Bakassi, vigilance groups in S’East

Posted by admin Elections 2011, Nigerian Police Thursday, March 31st, 2011

Twenty three thousand police officers and men, in addition to other sister security agencies have been mobilised by the Nigerian Police to ensure the security of lives and property as well as to ensure successful, credible, free and fair 2011 polls in the South Eastern states.

This was stated by the Deputy Inspector General of police, DIG Ivy Uche Okoronkwo while briefing newsmen on police preparedness for the 2011 elections, which kicks off on Saturday, April 2.

She said that time has come for the execution of the long term plan of the 2011 elections and that all stakeholders such as Independent National Electoral Commission INEC, National Orientation agency and the law enforcement agencies in
the Country have concluded arrangements and put in place necessary machineries to ensure a successful, credible , free and fair elections.

She said further that the Inspector General of Police has assigned one deputy Inspector General of police to cover each of the six Geo-political zones in Nigeria to ensure enhanced supervision and monitoring of the security arrangement and conduct of police personnel, which was the reason why she is in the Zone.
“I have been assigned to supervise the South East Zone comprising of Abia, Anambra, Ebonyi, Enugu and Imo states.”

She assured that the Nigerian police and Zone 9 police is very much prepared as the police has decided to collaborate with other security agencies within the Zone. She enjoined the electorates in the zone not to see the exercise as a do or die affair, and advised that they should warn their children and wards to desist from any act of thuggery, violence and other vices that may mar the smooth conduct of the elections.
“They should resist all forms of inducement and material offers from some desperate politicians who may want to use them to jeopardise or thwart the efforts of the Federal Government of Nigeria from achieving the desired free, fair and credible elections.”

She reiterated that all the Security agents who were officially mobilized for the exercise have been provided with customized identification tags to differentiate them from those who may be on sinister assignment.
She warned that movements on the election days have been restricted from 8 am to 4 pm except those who are on essential duties.

“Government officials with police escorts or other security outfits should not visit the polling stations with them. Where they must, such security personnel should stay 300 meters away from the polling station. However for the avoidance of doubts, with the exception of the Governors and their deputies whose ADC’S will be duly directed on their expected conduct, during the elections, all other Government functionaries such as Ministers, Members of National Assembly will be accompanied by only one police personnel to cast their votes after which the will return to their homes. Movements by politicians, accompanied by a retinue of their political aides or thugs are equally prohibited and will not be allowed around polling venues.”

She warned that the use of vehicles with tinted glasses, those with covered number plates and those with unauthorized inscriptions are prohibited in the polling stations during the elections.wp_posts