By Moses Omorogieva
The Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG), Force Operations, Mr Johnson Kokumo, says no fewer than 27,000 personnel have been deployed in Lagos for the general elections.
Kokumo disclosed this on Thursday in Lagos while briefing newsmen as well as officers and men of Lagos Police Command, ahead of Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly elections.
He said that other sister security agencies would also join the police personnel to provide security during the exercise.
The police chief urged the personnel to ensure that they abide by the provisions of Electoral Act and ensuring that the election was free, fair and credible in all parts of the state.
“We are supposed to be apolitical. We should not unleash terror on members of the public. Also, don’t use arm on harmless members of the public.
“We are to be civil and respect the rights of citizens. We are to collaborate with other sister security agencies, but we are to take the lead, according to the Electoral Act,” he said.
Kokumo assured residents of the state of the safety of their lives before, during and after the elections.
He also said that all the areas noted for crisis or where security threat might come from had been taken care of and would be well-policed.
The DIG further said that the Inspector-General of Police had ordered for special deployment in the air, land and water, in collaboration with sister security agencies operating in those areas.
He urged the command to set up a special electoral investigation team at the State CID, where all cases and arrest relating to elections would be treated immediately.
Kokumo also urged the command to ensure that the border posts were well policed, with a view to preventing any incursion by non-Nigerians during the elections.
Earlier, the Commissioner of Police in the state, Idowu Owohunwa, assured the DIG that the police in Lagos would not disappoint the residents and the nation at large.
“I assure you that we will not fail in Lagos as a command, with God’s guidance and the commitment of the men I have. We will not fail the nation.
“We assure the people of Lagos that we will not fail in our election duties. We shall make the nation proud,” Owohunwa said.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that all Area Commanders, Divisional Police Officers as well as Unit and Squadron Commanders were in attendance at the briefing. (NAN) (www.nannews.ng)
Edited by Deborah Coker and ‘Wale Sadeeq
