*To Withdraw VIPs Orderlies Ahead Saturday Poll…
* Sets -Up Inter-agency Joint Control Strong Room…
By Hamilton Nwosa(The New Diplomat’s Polling, Research and data desk)
The Nigeria Police high command has disclosed that it has concluded plans to deploy three security personnel including policemen to each of the 2,627 polling booths or units in the 192 wards of Edo state during Saturday’s governorship election. Going by this disclosure, the envisaged total number of security personnel expected to be on ground on Saturday is about 7,881. The Force also maintained that it would enforce the withdrawal of police orderlies from all VIPs during the election.
Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG) responsible for Research and Planning, DIG Adeleye Oyebade who spoke in Benin City during a press conference ahead of Saturday’s governorship poll revealed that there is also an Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security, ICCES set up at the state and local government area levels across Edo State.
According to the DIG, all Police Officers, security personnel and men to be stationed to man the various polling units across the state have been trained and warned to uphold the best ethical principles of political neutrality and professionalism in the discharge of their assigned duties. He also cautioned all potential voters to avoid acts capable of throwing up tension and violence during the election on Saturday.
DIG Oyebade who was flanked by eight Commissioners of Police and heads of other sister security agencies in the state declared: “The police officers have been properly briefed on their expected roles and conduct during the election bearing in mind strict adherence to the principles and rules of the Code of Conduct for Officers and Men of the Nigeria Police Force. All other security personnel deployed for the election must also adhere to the code of conduct and rules of engagement on election duty. For effective manning of the polling booths, no fewer than three police officers and personnel of other security agencies will be deployed to each of the 2,627 polling booths.”
Agency reports monitored by our reporter revealed that the Police high-command would also put in place co-ordinating mechanisms for feed backs during Saturday’s poll. Oyebade explained this and other measures in details thus: “Let me at this juncture assure the good people of Edo State that the officers deployed for this special assignment will be apolitical, neutral, and professional in their constitutional responsibilities. The police officers and other counterparts from sister agencies who are involved in this election will be posted to the polling booths by name, and would wear identifiable tags for easy identification…
“No person is allowed to move around with security personnel around polling units. Everyone is enjoined to vote and return to their respective houses or remain peacefully within the approved parameters of the polling centres.”
DIG Oyebade disclosed that members of the Inter-agency Committee are made up of Officers from the NPF, the Armed Forces, the Department of State security Services(DSS), the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Nigerian Immigration Service, the Nigerian Correctional Service, (formerly Nigerian Prisons Service), the Nigeria Customs Service, the Federal Road Safety Corps, the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency and INEC which serves as secretary to the Committee.
The DIG who also announced the setting up of a Joint Strong Control Room with dedicated telephone lines for feedbacks and emergencies management measures appealed to members of the public and potential voters to be law abiding during the election.
“The following numbers – 08154352118 (for calls only) and 08154350436 (SMS and WhatsApp) – are available for the use of members of the public. The Joint Control Room will be manned by representatives of all the security agencies in the state,” Oyebade added.
