IGP Idris assures of adequate security for Ekiti governorship election, deploys 30,000 personnel for adequate security

By Mohammed Baba Busu

Ekiti - Inspector General of Police, Alhaji Ibrhaim Kpotun-Idris has assured that adequate security measures have been put in place to ensure a hitch-free governorship election in Ekiti state on Saturday, July 14.


The IGP have the assurance at a stakeholders' forum on Monday in Ekiti, preparatory to the Saturday governorship election in the state.


According to him, Nigeria Police Force has deployed over 30,000 personnel to Ekiti state to provide adequate  security for the successful conduct of the governorship election.


He said that the personnel to be deployed included conventional and Mobile Police Force units as well as Intelligence and technical teams.


Idris said the police would be supported by over 4, 390 personnel from other security agencies including the armed forces, Nigeria  Immigration service, Nigeria  Prisons, the Customs and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.


The Police boss said the election duty would be led by the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) in charge of operations, to be assisted by an Assistant Inspector General (AIG) and Five commissioners of Police to effectively cover the 2,195 polling units in the 177 wards across the 16 local government areas of the state.

Idris said that the deployment would build and increase the confidence of the people of the state in the police and other security agencies to protect them.

“I want to assure you that all necessary manpower and logistics to secure the electorate, electoral officials, monitors, observers and materials have been provided for the command," he said.


"The Police is determined to provide adequate security for the conduct of the election and with this arrangement, I am convinced that the election will be peaceful, credible, free and fair," Idris said.


He however, sought the cooperation of politicians and advised them to desist from uttering hate speeches, arming thugs and other precipitation of violence before, during and after the election.


"Let me warn that the police will not hesitate to deal with anybody found flouting the electoral laws or precipitating violence, no matter how highly placed. We will not tolerate electoral or criminal misconduct during and after the election," he said.


He called for the collaboration of all stakeholders including other security agencies and officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure a hitch-free conduct of the election.


The police boss said Police officers have been given adequate orientation on election duties and urged stakeholders not hesitate to report the senior police officers or himself, any act of misconduct by any officer during the election