Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Mohammed Abubakar, has ordered restriction of movement in and out of Anambra from Friday to Sunday, for the Saturday governorship election.
A statement by CSP Frank Mba, the Force Public Relations Officer on Thursday, said that the restriction would be between 6pm and 6 a.m for each of those days.
“The Nigeria Police High Command has ordered a restriction of movement within the boundaries of Anambra State with effect from 6.00pm on Friday, 15th November, 2013 to 6.00am on Sunday, 17th November, 2013.
“However, those on essential duties are not affected by this order. Consequently, all states contiguous to Anambra, Delta, Enugu, Imo, Abia will be heavily policed,” it said.
The statement said the restriction was in furtherance of strategies designed to prevent electoral fraud and violence and ensure a smooth and orderly conduct of the election.
It also barred all security details from accompanying their principals and politicians to polling booths and collation centres during the election.
“Only Police personnel specifically assigned for election duties must be seen within and around the election designated places,” the statement said.
According to it, the restriction order is informed by the exigencies of overriding security considerations.
The statement acknowledged the citizens’ right to freedom of movement as enshrined in the constitution.
It, however, insisted that the restriction was a preemptive measure aimed at forestalling plans by some groups to “undermine the electoral process as gathered through intelligence reports”.
The statement appealed to the public to see the order “as very necessary in the present circumstance and geared towards the quest for a credible and successful gubernatorial election”.
