Ahead of Saturday’s governorship election in Kogi and Bayelsa States, the Inspector General of Police has ordered the withdrawal of all security aides attached to governors, their deputies, public office holders, politicians and other personalities involved in the elections with effect from Friday November 15.
Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police in charge of Operations at the Force Headquarters, DIG Abdulmajid Ali disclosed this in Lokoja on Thursday while briefing journalists on preparation for the two elections.
He explained that the security aides would remain withdrawn from the affected political actors and public office holders until after the election.
The DIG said the police high command has made adequate deployments to guarantee safe environment for conduct of Saturday’s governorship election in Bayelsa and Kogi.
He said 66,241 personnel have been deployed to Bayelsa and Kogi to handle election security in the two states.
“I can assure that the Nigeria Police and other security agencies are fully ready to support INEC in delivering successful elections in Kogi and Bayelsa States.
“While with your support and that of the citizens, we are confident that we have the operational capacity to ensure the success of the exercise in both States.
“We are not unaware of the possible security threats that some misguided political actors and their followers may attempt to pose during the elections in both States.
“To such elements, we must sound a note of warning that as a nation, we have had enough of electoral violence. Hence, while the Nigeria Police shall strive to guarantee a peaceful and secure space for all political parties and the citizens to freely exercise their electoral rights, we shall not hesitate to identify, isolate and bring to deserved justice any person or group of persons that attempt to threaten the democratic order in Kogi and Bayelsa States.
“Our message is being relayed here loud and clear that in securing the law-abiding citizens during the elections, we shall not hesitate to deploy our potent assets to deal firmly and decisively with electoral deviants.
“Consequently, we call on political actors and indeed all citizens to assist the Police and other law enforcement agencies in sustaining the gains we have recorded as a nation in our democratic journey.
“It should always be remembered that politics is a game guided by rules and it behooves political actors and their supporters to play the game within the dictates of such rules.
“Consequently, personnel deployed on the election security operations have been charged to be civil, fair, and professional and rule of law-guided in the discharge of their duties.
“In so doing, however, they have been additionally instructed to be firm and decisive.
“On our part, therefore, we assure the electorates in Kogi and Bayelsa States and indeed, the nation and the international community of our firm commitment to a successful electoral exercise and our unwavering commitment to engaging international best practices in the discharge of our election security mandate”, he said.
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