Navy declares no movement on high seas

SSS combs streets for weapons, others

Kaduna awaits polls materials

SECURITY yesterday topped preparations for tomorrow’s National Assembly elections as the various agencies of the Federal Government unveiled measures to ensure law and order during the exercise.

The military, whose men are to patrol the streets but keep a distance from the polling centres, yesterday ordered its personnel to shoot on sight any political thug attempting to foment trouble.

The police also warned anyone with intention to cause trouble during the exercise to review their stance, as no unruly behaviour would be tolerated from any quarter.

A sister outfit, the State Security Service (SSS), yesterday moved into streets combing for weapons in some state capitals.   Apparently not to leave chances for hoodlums to hide dangerous devices, such as bombs, SSS operatives were seen removing disused vehicle tyres from the streets and around public buildings.

The Nigerian Navy also announced its security checks by declaring no movement on the country’s high seas.

There were apprehensions in Kaduna State when the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said materials for the National Assembly polls were yet to arrive in the state.

The General Officer Commanding (GOC) 2 Division of the Nigerian Army, Maj.-Gen. Muhammad Abubakar, yesterday warned political thugs to steer clear of polling units or risk losing their lives as soldiers had been ordered to shoot anyone that attempt to disrupt the peaceful conduct of the polls.

Abubakar spoke as the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in the state, Mr. Ayo Adakeja and the Commissioner of Police, Salihu Hashimu, debunked claims that a commercial printer had been contracted to print voters’ cards in Ibadan.

They spoke at a security and political stakeholders’ meeting held with leaders of the various political parties on how to ensure peaceful polls.

Abubakar, who read riot act to political thugs, clarified that even in a situation when a person had been licensed to carry firearms, such persons should not bring the firearms to the polling units.

He said: “We will arrest anybody found carrying arms to the polling station and if such person resists arrest, we will shoot him. You should remember that we are not trained to shoot and maim but shoot to kill and that is the order we have given the soldiers who will be at the polling booths.”

He, however, pointed out that the Division cannot afford to deploy a soldier to each polling unit in the state but assured that there would be a stable patrol of soldiers on the roads, especially the flashpoint areas.

While debunking media reports that a printer was arrested in Mokola area of the city while printing ballot papers, Adakeja explained that his commission actually contracted the printer to assist in the printing of identification tags for the INEC ad-hoc officials due to the inadequacy of the materials during last Saturday botched polls.

“There is no iota of truth in the media reports that a printer was caught printing voters’ cards but the reality on ground is that the printer was caught printing identification tags for INEC officials and the man has since been released on bail.”

The REC in Kaduna, Alhaji Halilu Tambawal, said the ballot papers for the elections were still being printed by the Nigerian Security Printing and Minting Company (NSPMC).

Besides, the Kaduna Police Command said that it had uncovered plans by some politicians to foment trouble in the state, warning that adequate measures had been put in place to deal with those out to cause crisis before, during and after the elections.

Tambawa, at a joint news conference with the state Commissioner of Police, Haruna John, said all the result sheets had been received, but there is the problem of shortage of ballot papers in the state.

Tambawal said: “I would like to confirm that virtually all the things that made it impossible to carry out the exercise last Saturday are available – the principal ones. Those that have not come are right now in the process of being made available. Latest by noon tomorrow, every material that is needed will be available.

“For the ballot papers, as I am talking to you now, the ballot papers are in the process of being produced by the National Security Printing press and we have guarantee that by noon tomorrow, we will not be having problem with that.”

However, John said the Police had received series of information that some people were out to cause violence in the state during the elections and appeal to politicians to conduct themselves with decorum throughout the period of the elections.

“We are ready to do our job and we want every leader and persons who have a stake in the stability of this state to play a civic role. We welcome any information, idea and partnership that will move us forward.

“But we will not tolerate any act of incitement or any negative conduct by any group of persons or any person no matter how highly placed that may want to scuttle the security arrangement we have put in place,” he said.

The Western Naval Command said yesterday it would enforce the ‘no movement’ order on Nigerian territorial waters for adequate security during the election.

By the action, no commercial fishing vessel, boats, merchant vessels and other activities would be allowed on Nigerian waters until 5.00 p.m. tomorrow.

The Flag Officer, Commanding Western Naval Command, Rear Admiral Emmanuel Ogbor, disclosed this to reporters after taking them around United States of America (USA) Naval Ship G Bradley, which berthed at the AP Moller Terminal, Apapa, Lagos, as part of U.S.-Africa partnership.

Ogbor said: “No ship or boat would be allowed to operate on the waters on the day of the election. Our role during the election is clearly spelt out and we would enforce the ‘no movement’ order on our waters.”

In Bauchi State, operatives of the SSS yesterday stormed the streets, removing all abandoned tyres in major streets to prevent hoodlums from using them for their nefarious acts during the elections.

Officials of the Civil Defence, Police, Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) joined the SSS to carry out the operations.

The operatives were seen along Maiduguri, Ningi, Yandoka, Mudalawal Road and other major roads in Bauchi metropolis picking abandoned tyres on the highways.

The Bauchi State Director of SSS, Mr. Ade Olusesan, told The Guardian that the exercise was to reduce all sources of violence during the election.

“This is just one aspect of the measures put in place by SSS to tackle election violence in the state because some of these materials such as tyres can facilitate violence because they can easily be picked and set on fire to block roads and foment trouble.”

Olusesan appealed to the general public, especially users of such materials not to keep them in places that would be handy for people with questionable characters.

In Ondo State, the Commissioner of Police, Mr. Joseph Ibi, yesterday declared that he had no agreement with any thug ahead of tomorrow’s election.

The police boss, in his warning signals, asked political thugs in the state to prepare to go to jail if they were caught.

Briefing the press on the outcome of the State Security Council meeting in Akure, he said his command was ready to keep political thugs to be arrested and arraign after the election with the over 50 thugs held during last week’s failed polls.

According to him, “ I did not sign any pact with thugs, I cannot do that for any reason whatsoever. Let me use this medium to warn those miscreants that anybody who commits any criminal offence should be ready to bear the consequences. I cannot see myself having dealings with criminals.”

Meanwhile, Governor Adams Oshiomhole of Edo State has appealed to the Police to see themselves as the police of the nation rather than an appendage of a political party, saying this would instill great confidence in the voters as the nation goes to the polls tomorrow.

Receiving the Deputy Inspector-General “F” Division, Mr. Mohammed Yesufu, who is in Benin to supervise the elections in Edo, Delta and Bayelsa states, Oshiomhole said the police should treat members and supporters of all political parties equally.

“We hope that the Police appreciate that they are responsible for the whole nation and not for the ruling party. When the Police recognise this, there would be no violence in any part of Nigeria, certainly not in Edo State.

Earlier, Yesufu said the Police were out to ensure that the elections were free and fair, warning that the Police would deal with anyone out to foment trouble during and after the elections.

The Chairman of the Labour Party (LP) in Bayelsa State, Mr. Bobo Atari-Adou, has raised alarm over what he described as a suspected attempt by the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in the state to rig the general elections in the state.

In a statement in Yenagoa, the party chief said LP had observed with concern the recent development in the state as it borders on political activities and the process that is leading to the general election.

According to him, LP in the past had raised the alarm over fraud during the voters’ registration and the series of sponsored attacks on campaign offices of opposition party and candidates in the state.

He said those stockpiling arms and ammunition in Ikibiri 2, Tebedaba, Ologbobiri and the known bush camps in southern Ijaw area should know that the people of Bayelsa were aware of their activities.

Some prominent indigenes of Akwa Ibom State have called on INEC, political parties and politicians to increase their level of mobilisation to restore the interest of eligible voters in the electoral process.

Speaking with The Guardian in Uyo, a criminologist and lecturer in the University of Uyo, Dr. Aniekan Brown, said parties needed to mobilise the people to go out and perform their civic responsibility.

“It is the responsibility of INEC to call on people to go out and vote, Prof. Jega had the courage to postpone the election for the

interest of Nigerians, so the postponement should not be the cause of any apathy by Nigerians,” he said.             

The Chairman, Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) in the state, Uyime Usoro, said: “If the election was held on Monday as was intended, a lot of people would not have gone out to vote, but as at now, the interest is there.

“We need massive mobilisation by INEC and the political parties to give the ordinary voters that confidence, I know the politicians will vote but have they talked to the ordinary voters that would go out and vote? he asked.

-Guardian

Posted by admin on Apr 8 2011. Filed under Armed Forces, Latest Politics. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry