The Kogi State police command said it has deployed no fewer than 8,550 officers and men to provide security during Saturday’s local government election in the state.
Kogi State Commissioner of Police (CP), Mr Hilary Okpara, told newsmen in his office in Lokoja on Friday that 4,800 of them were deployed from neighbouring states’ police commands.
He said that the police, in synergy with other security agencies in the state, had mapped out strategies to provide effective security coverage.
“We are in a wonderful synergy with other security agencies and we have agreed to work hard to enable a violence-free election in the state,” Okpara said.
He said electoral materials would be escorted by security agents from the State Independent Electoral Commission office to various polling stations.
He also said the results would be escorted from the units to the collation centres and finally to Lokoja where there would be announced.
He urged the electorate and party supporters to cast their votes and leave the polling units or maintain 200-metre distance from the units if they must guard their votes.
Okpara said he had two interactive sessions with all stakeholders – political parties, contestants and security agencies – on the need to ensure the elections were conducted peacefully.
The commissioner urged contestants to eschew violence and go to the polling stations to cast their votes peacefully.
He added that the police would not support or be partial to any party as they were out to maintain peace.
“We are not partisan, we are here to ensure that the election is free, fair and violence-free.
“Any act of violence in this election will be visited with commensurate lawful response,
0 comments:
Post a Comment