Kogi/Bayelsa: IGP orders withdrawal of security aides to Yahaya Bello, Dickson, others

Ahead of tomorrow’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 today.

The order affects the Kogi state governor Yahaya Bello, his Bayelsa counterpart, Seriake Dickson, among others.

Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of Police in charge of operations at the Force Headquarters, DIG Abdulmajid Ali, disclosed this in Lokoja yesterday, 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He explained that the security aides would remain withdrawn from the affected political actors and public office holders until after the elections.

The DIG said the police high command has made adequate deployments to guarantee safe environment for the conduct of the polls.

He said 66,241 personnel have been deployed to Bayelsa and Kogi to handle election security in the two 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,” he said.