SECURITY: POLICE ASSURES LAGOS RESIDENTS OF SAFETY DURING ELECTIONS

Read Time:2 Minute, 8 Second

By Aishat Momoh

… Lagos CP warns violence and mischief on election day

…. 27,000 officers already deployed to Lagos

The police have assured Lagos State residents of their safety during and after the Saturday Presidential and National Assembly elections in the state.

This was mentioned on Thursday by the Deputy Inspector General of Police ( DIG) in charge of South West, Geo-Political Zone, Johnson Kokumo, Acting Assistant Inspector General in charge of Zone 2, Abiodun Alabi and the commissioner of police in Lagos State, Idowu Owohunwa, during a press conference on their preparedness for the election.

The DIG also reminded police officers of their responsibilities in ensuring a transparent and violence-free election while noting that twenty-seven thousand policemen have been deployed to different parts of the state to ensure the safety of lives and properties.

He added that the police had identified some parts of the state, where there is likely to be a breakdown of law and order and had done the necessary things to curb the situation.

DIG Kokumo however, urged the police personnel to ensure that they abide by the Electoral Act rules, by 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 the members of the public. Don’t use your arms on harmless members of the public.”

“We are to be civil and respect the rights of citizens. We are to collaborate with sister security agencies, but we are to take lead according to the Electoral Act,” He said.

Also, he mentioned that the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba had directed that the police should work with other sister agencies like the Army, Navy, Air force and the likes to ensure the deployment of personnel on land, air and waterways.

Meanwhile, the new Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Idowu Owohunwa assured that the command will not fail in the discharge of it’s duty ” I assure DIG that we will not fail in Lagos as a command with God’s guardians and commitments of the men I have. We will not fail the nation.”

“We assured people in Lagos State that we will not fail in our elections’ duties. We shall make the nation proud,” Owohunwa assured.”

Also, the Acting Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 2 A Abiodun Alabi warned criminals to stay away from Saturday elections.

He however, warned policemen in the zone to be guided by the police guidelines on their conduct during the election.