The Inspector-General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, has ordered the deployment of additional personnel and logistics to ensure effective election security management during the forthcoming supplementary elections scheduled to hold on Saturday, April 15, 2023.
Spokesman of the police, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi disclosed on Thursday that the exercise will cover a total of 2,660 polling units, 185 Local Government Areas across 24 States.
He added that the IGP has placed a strong emphasis on the importance of ensuring adequate support for these elections, given their crucial nature.
“To this end, the additional support includes the deployment of personnel, operational vehicles, non-lethal weapons, personal protective equipment (body armor), anti-riot equipment, and more. These measures are being put in place to provide a peaceful and secure environment for the exercise.
“In addition to this, the IGP has given directives to all supervising senior police officers in charge of jurisdictions where the supplementary elections will be held, especially the supplementary gubernatorial elections in Adamawa and Kebbi States, to ensure the emplacement of adequate manpower and other resources for effective policing of the electoral process. This is to ensure that there is an adequate security arrangement in place that will guarantee a peaceful and secure environment for the conduct of the elections.
“The Inspector-General of Police has urged all electorates in the affected states to come out en masse to exercise their franchise and be law-abiding while maintaining peace and orderliness. He emphasized that the Police is poised to ensure the emplacement of a proper security arrangement for the supplementary polls to ensure that the elections are conducted in a peaceful and secure environment.
“The announcement made by the IGP is a clear indication of the police force’s commitment to ensuring that the forthcoming supplementary elections are conducted in a peaceful and secure environment.
“The deployment of additional personnel and logistics is a clear indication of the police force’s readiness to ensure that every aspect of the electoral process is well secured. It is expected that with these measures in place, the forthcoming supplementary elections will be conducted without any hitch.”