Ahead of the governorship election scheduled to hold in Ondo State on Saturday, November 26, the Nigerian Police Force has beefed up security in the state with the deployment of more than 28,000 police personnel.
A statement issued on Wednesday by the Force Public Relations Officer, Don Awunah, noted that the Inspector General of Police, IGP, Ibrahim Idris, had directed that a robust and elaborate security arrangement be implemented in Ondo State to ensure peaceful, credible, free and fair elections.
Awunah stated that “a Deputy Inspector General of Police has been deployed to the State and will be assisted by an Assistant Inspector General of Police and three Commissioners of Police (for each Senatorial district) to coordinate the security operations and supervise the deployment of security personnel.
According to the police spokesman, each polling unit in the state will be manned by five conventional policemen, and there are 3009 polling units, 203 wards and 18 Local Government Areas in Ondo State.
The statement noted that “the IGP has graciously approved deployment of additional twenty six thousand conventional Police personnel (5 Policemen per polling unit); two thousand Mobile Police Force (PMF), ten (10) cells of Counter Terrorism Unit, the Special Protection Unit, the Anti-Bomb Squad (EOD), the Marine Police, Conventional Policemen, the Armament Units, personnel from FCIID and FIIB and the Sniffer dogs section and Mounted Troops.”
Similarly, “Twenty (20) Police Gunboats, three (3) Patrol Surveillance Helicopters, twelve (12) additional Armoured Personnel carriers and three hundred (300) Police patrol vehicles are being deployed throughout the State including the riverine areas and difficult terrains.”
Awunah added that other security and safety agencies who are members of Inter Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security, ICCES, in Ondo State have also been deployed to complement the Police during the elections.
He said that security operatives participating in the election are under strict Instructions to be polite and civil but firm in the discharge of their duties and other responsibilities.
He added: “Security details are warned to desist from escorting their Principals and Politicians to polling booths and collation centres during the election.
“Any deviant security detail will be apprehended and dealt with accordingly.
“They are to provide adequate security for the electorates, INEC Staff, election materials, election observers and other individuals and bodies that have statutory roles in the conduct of the elections, at the Polling booths, Collation Centres and INEC Offices throughout the period of the election.”
The Police spokesman called on political, religious and traditional leaders in the state to prevail on their people not to get involved in activities that could threaten the peaceful conduct of the election exercise, warning that the full weight of the law would be meted out on such individuals or groups.
Awunah also assured Ondo electorates, on behalf of the IGP, of adequate security throughout the election.
He enjoined them to cooperate with the Police personnel in the discharge of their duties.
Twenty eight political parties will be taking part in the election.