The Acting Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Kayode Egbetokun, says the police have put in place water-tight measures to ensure free and fair November 11 governorship elections in Bayelsa, Imo and Kogi states.
Egbetokun said this on Thursday in Abuja at a meeting with strategic police managers and media briefing to highlight policies, breakthroughs and achievements of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) in the last five weeks.
He said that the meeting was to avail the participants of the opportunity to enumerate some of operational plans toward policing the off-season governorship election to be held concurrently in the three states.
“We are going to leverage on the fact that the elections are limited to just three states to deploy adequately for this election.
“Just as you have seen in other isolated elections in Nigeria, you will see that we have availability of men more in number than what we used to have in general elections.
“So, I have no fear and nobody should entertain any fear about how safe and secure the elections are going to be in November.
“Just three states, it will be very convenient for us, so nobody should entertain any fear about the election, we are prepared for it and very soon, we will start the deployment,” he said.
Egbetokun said that the police deliberately decided to take its annual retreat to one of the states, where the election would hold.
“The conference would be two weeks to the election, so it is deliberate and not by accident that we chose that state and that date.
“It is to show to the public that we are ready for the election, so there is no fear about the election,” he said.
He said that the internal security situation of the country, over the last one month had been relatively calm in spite of the threats of political and socio-economic instability that greeted the removal of fuel subsidy and post-election tribunal judgements across the country.
“Comparatively, we have recorded lesser number of violent crimes and other major offences across the country.
“We are all aware of recent government efforts toward economic recovery and growth through local and international engagements with investors and technocrats.
“The Nigeria Police Force is poised to support the efforts of government by providing the needed security and enabling environment for all legitimate businesses and other economic activities in Nigeria,” he said.
He said that the force would leave no stone unturned and would continue to be on its toes in ensuring that it played its role well in the efforts toward achieving economic recovery, growth, as well as social and political development of the nation.
“Consequently, all command commissioners of police and other tactical commanders are hereby directed to ensure adequate security is emplaced and sustained in their areas of responsibilities.
“Any attempt by unscrupulous person(s) to sabotage the economic revival that our country is about to witness will be met with stiff opposition from all of us,” he said.
