Army, police lock down states

THE armed forces joined the police on Friday to deploy their men and officers across the states for today’s governorship and House of Assembly elections.

In Kwara State, fighter jets are to be deployed today while in volatile South South states, armed military men did an effective lockdown of the areas.

In several other states, policemen in their thousands poured onto the streets for the elections.

Opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) accused the government and the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) of militarising the polls to assist their alleged rigging plans.

4 Nigerians, Dangote, Adenuga, Alakija, Rabiu among 13 richest Blacks on earth

Police authorities in two consecutive statements announced the deployment of 277 commissioners of police, Deputy Commissioners of Police and Assistant Commissioners of Police in addition to seven Deputy Inspectors General and 10 Assistant Inspectors General.

In some states, four CPs are in charge of the elections while in some local governments, police authorities posted commissioners of police to take charge there.

The first police statement signed by Force spokesman, Frank Mba, reads:

“In line with his stated commitment towards providing adequate security for the general elections, the Inspector General of Police, Ag. IGP M. A. Adamu, has deployed seven (7) Deputy Inspectors General of Police (DIGs) to the six geo-political zones across the country, ten (10) Assistant Inspectors General of Police (AIGs) to the police zonal commands and additional two hundred and seventy-seven (277) Commissioners of Police to complement the efforts of the respective Commissioners of Police in the thirty-six (36) state commands and the FCT.

“With this deployment, each command now has additional three CPs deployed to the three (3) senatorial districts in their respective states of assignment which will form part of security management base for the command CPs. However, based on security assessment earlier carried out by the Force, some local government areas in Plateau, Benue, Imo and Taraba states have one Commissioner of Police each deployed to coordinate security in the LGA.

“Each of them is expected to work with the Command CP and to ensure that no stone is left unturned towards emplacing adequate security, including the supervision of security personnel deployed to each of the senatorial districts under their watch.

“Meanwhile, four (4) commands, Anambra, Bayelsa, Edo and Sokoto, have new CPs posted specifically as Command CP for purposes of the election.

“The IGP assures that just as in the recently concluded presidential and National Assembly elections, the Nigeria Police Force shall remain civil, firm, optimally professional and apolitical in the discharge of our duties in the 9th March, 2019 elections.

“The DIGs are deployed to the geo-political regions indicated against their names:

1. DIG UsmanTilliAbubakar, mni – North East Zone
2. DIG Abdulmajid Ali – Coordinator

iii.  DIG Frederick TaiwoLakanu, fdc – South-South Zone

1. DIG Anthony Ogbizi Michael, fdc – South-East Zone
2. DIG Yakubu Jubrin, fsi – South-West Zone
3. DIG Aminchi S. Baraya – North-West Zone

vii.DIG Godwin C. Nwobodo, fdc – North-Central Zone

“Four (4) State Commands have new CPs posted as Command CPs specifically for supervising the election

1. Anambra – CP RabiuLadodo
2. Bayelsa – CP Olushola David

iii.Edo – CP Dan-Mallam Mohammed

1. Sokoto – CP Aminu Koji Kwabe

“Benue, Imo, Plateau, and Taraba states have one Commissioner of Police each deployed to some of its Local Government Areas:

1. Benue – Guma LGA, Logo LGA, Agatu LGA, Gwer East LGA, Gwer West LGA, KatsinaAla LGA, Okpokwu LGA, Ukum LGA
2. Imo – Orlu LGA, Okigwe LGA

iii. Plateau – Langtang South LGA, Jos South LGA, Bassa LGA, Langtang North LGA, Riyom LGA, BarkinLadi LGA

1. Taraba – Wukari LGA, Ibi LGA, Lao LGA, KarimLamido LGA, Bali LGA, Kurmi LGA, Jalingo LGA, Dunga LGA, Sardauna LGA

 

The second statement reads:

“The total number of CPs deployed by the IGP as reflected in our earlier release includes sixty-two (62) CPs, seventy-two (72) DCPs and one hundred and forty-three (143) ACPs giving a total of Two Hundred and Seventy Seven (277) Commissioners of Police.

“Note that under the Police Act and Regulations, Section 2, CAP P19, Laws of the Federation, 2004, Commissioner of Police means “a Commissioner of Police, Deputy Commissioner of Police or an  Assistant Commissioner of Police.”

 

17,000 security personnel deployed in Rivers

In Rivers State, the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) announced the deployment of about 17, 000 personnel, declaring its readiness to ensure the security of lives and property as well as the electoral process during today’s gubernatorial and House of Assembly elections.

The combined security committee restated its readiness to clamp down on any form of violence or thuggery during today’s elections in the state, stating that the personnel would ensure that the elections are is peaceful, free, fair and devoid of violence.

Briefing newsmen on Thursday in Port Harcourt alongside heads of other security outfits, the state Commissioner of Police, Usman Belel, said the command had deployed 15,544 personnel, while other security agencies deployed about 1,500 personnel to cover and protect all voting points in the 23 local government areas of the state.

Meanwhile, the army has cordoned off the service lane of the Aba-Port Harcourt Expressway with an Armoured Personnel Carrier.

 

Fighter jets deployed in Kwara

The police in Kwara State said they would deploy military jets to ensure effective surveillance of the state for today’s elections.

Speaking with journalists in Ilorin in company with heads of other security agencies, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Kayode Egbetokun, said the military jets would do better surveillance than ordinary aircraft.

The state police command deployed air force helicopters for surveillance and monitoring during the last presidential and National Assembly elections in the state.

The police boss, who urged residents of the state not to panic over the hovering of the military jets over their communities during today’s elections, said the aim was to ensure adequate security of the electorate and prevent crime.

 

Panic in Gbaramatu, Delta  over military jets

Ahead of today’s governorship and House of Assembly elections, there’s palpable anxiety in Gbaramatu kingdom of Warri South West Local Government Area of Delta State over two military jets said to be hovering around the kingdom.

A resident of the area told Saturday Tribune on phone, Friday afternoon, that the two fighter jets were flying low in Oporoza, country home of former agitator, Chief Government Ekpemupolo, popularly known as Tompolo and Kurutie.

The source, who identified himself as Comrade Saturday David, said the unusual presence of the war jets had begun to send fears down the spines of the electorate in that part of the state which might affect turn-out today.

“Military jets, two of them, have been flying over Gbaramatu kingdom since Friday morning.

“There’s panic everywhere as some of our people are beginning to flee the area as they are not sure of what lies ahead.

“The jets are flying so low to the ground at Oporoza and Kurutie,” he reiterated on phone with pictorial evidence forwarded to Saturday Tribune.

But Comrade Sheriff Mulade, who is National Coordinator of the Centre for Peace and Environmental Justice (CEPEJ), who spoke to Saturday Tribune from his village in Gbaramatu kingdom, hesitantly corroborated the presence of the military jets.

The peace-builder, however, played down their presence, saying it was a normal routine for operatives of the military to keep surveillance in the kingdom and should not be misconstrued as untoward.

“It’s not a serious issue. It’s a normal routine, although it coincides with the election. Normally in every society security men keep vigilance and surveillance. It’s normal,” he enthused.

The military could not be reached for comments.

In Lagos State, the Saturday  Tribune also gathered that apart from the thirty four thousand personnel that have been deployed  for the  elections, plain-clothe officers will also be on duty.

It was gathered that the commander  of the state security outfit, the Rapid Response Squad Olatunji  Disu has also created a special armed squad for the purpose of the elections.

The state police   boss, Zubairu  Muazu, while speaking  on the readiness of the police for the election,  said that the police had identified some flash points , where more  attention will be given.