IGP Deploy 63 Units Of MOPOL For Anambra Election

Inspector-general of police (IGP) Mr Usman Alkali Baba has said the security arrangement for the conduct of the governorship election in Anambra covered land, sea and air.

 

The police said, “We have enough helicopters, speed boats and vehicles for security operatives to man the entire state.”

 

Baba spoke yesterday at a stakeholders’ meeting organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) at the Prof Dora Akunyili Women Development Centre, Awka.

 

He said that 63 units of Mobile Police Force patrol teams had been deployed to check the entrance and exit points across the state.

 

The police boss said all the arms of the military, including the Navy, Airforce, Army and other paramilitary agencies were involved.

 

Baba said security operatives had identified all the flash points and made adequate preparations.

 

He explained that the tight security measures were to guard against the report that a group in the state had planned to disrupt the election.

The IGP, while responding to a question, said that all the security operatives involved in the election had been advised on the need to be civil.

 

“We have advised all the operatives deployed for the election to be civil because they are not the only organisation working during the exercise.

 

“The instruction is clear to them that anybody accredited by INEC must be allowed to perform his or her duties without hiccup from the security operatives,” he said.

 

The Bishop of Sokoto Catholic Diocese and a member of National Peace Committee on Electoral Matters Most Rev. Matthew Kukah, said he was impressed with the level of security presence in Anambra.

 

Kukah told journalists on the sidelines of the meeting that anyone who did not participate in the Saturday election should not attribute it to poor security arrangement.

 

“I encourage any electorate with the INEC voter’s card in the state to feel free and come out for the election,” he said.