By Monday Ijeh
The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mr Usman Baba, has ordered the deployment of police team to Osun, ahead of the July 16 governorship election in the state.
The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, disclosed this on Sunday in a statement he issued in Abuja.
He said the team would be headed by Mr Johnson Kokumo, the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID).
Adejobi said Kokumo, also the supervisory DIG for the South-West, would be assisted by four Assistant Inspectors-General of Police (AIGs) during the election.
He said four Commissioners of Police (CPs), 15 Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) and 30 Assistant Commissioners of Police were also deployed for the exercise.
According to him, adequate police personnel of the rank of Chief Superintendents of Police and below have equally been deployed for the election.
He said Kokumo would oversee the implementation of the Operation Order evolved from the Election Security Threat Assessment.
Adejobi said the idea was to ensure a peaceful and conducive environment, devoid of violence for law abiding citizens to freely perform their civic responsibilities without molestation or intimidation.
He said other senior officers deployed would coordinate human and other operational deployments in the three senatorial districts, 30 local government areas and 3,753 polling units in the state.
Adejobi said the CP and Provost Marshall at the Force Headquarters, Mr Julius Alawari, had been temporarily deployed to Osun for the election and would be there until the conclusion of the exercise.
He said the CP in charge of Osun, Mr Olokode Olawale, had been temporarily moved to the Force Headquarters.
The police spokesman said the I-G would on Tuesday, meet with stakeholders in Osogbo, adding that the operational deployments were part of actions aimed at creating a conducive and enabling environment for the election.
He said the personnel deployed were drawn from the conventional police officers, Police Mobile Force (PMF), Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), Special Forces personnel, Explosives Ordinance Disposal Unit (EOD), Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB) and INTERPOL.
Adejobi said others were drawn from the Special Protection Unit (SPU), Police Airwing, Public Relations Department (FPRD) and the police medical team.
He said the personnel would be on ground to guarantee free, fair, credible and acceptable election.
According to him, five Armored Personnel Carriers for patrol, as well as three helicopters and six Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for aerial surveillance amongst other unique operational assets are also deployed.
He said the Nigeria Police Force was satisfactorily prepared for the election and reiterated the commitment of the Force to synergise with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and other stakeholders for the election.
Adejobi said the synergy was to protect democratic values, provide level playing field for all political actors, ensure adequate protection of voters, INEC officials, equipment, accredited observers and other key players.
He urged the electorate to be law-abiding and to comply with the restriction of movement order to be announced at the appropriate time.
The police spokesman enjoined the electorate to come out en masse to exercise their franchise, adding that adequate security had been emplaced to protect lives and property, before, during, and after the election.
(NAN)
