POLICE MOBILISE 12,000 PERSONNEL FOR EKITI POLLS, EXCLUDE LOCAL SECURITY GROUPS FROM ELECTION DUTIES

POLICE MOBILISE 12,000 PERSONNEL FOR EKITI POLLS, EXCLUDE LOCAL SECURITY GROUPS FROM ELECTION DUTIES

The Nigeria Police Force has announced the deployment of more than 12,000 personnel, alongside heavy security equipment, for the forthcoming governorship election in Ekiti State scheduled for Saturday.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Michael Falade, disclosed this on Tuesday in Ado Ekiti, noting that the security arrangement is part of a broader inter-agency strategy designed to ensure a peaceful, free, and credible electoral process.

Falade said the deployment would include personnel from the Police Mobile Force, Tactical Units, Rapid Response Squad, Armoured Personnel Carriers, and gun trucks, as part of efforts to secure all identified flashpoints before, during, and after the election.

He added that the Force Headquarters would coordinate additional support from federal security agencies under the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), which includes the Army, Department of State Services, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigerian Correctional Service, Federal Fire Service, and Nigeria Immigration Service.

According to him, intelligence-led policing has been intensified in the state, with security operatives already monitoring potential areas of concern to prevent any breakdown of law and order during the exercise.

Falade assured residents that adequate measures had been put in place to guarantee a smooth electoral process, urging eligible voters to come out and participate without fear.

However, the police commissioner clarified that state-owned security outfits, including the Amotekun Corps, Agro Rangers, and local vigilante groups, would not participate in election security duties, stressing that only federal security agencies under ICCES are authorised to handle election operations.

He maintained that the security agencies were fully prepared to ensure that the election is conducted in a peaceful atmosphere, noting that no major security threat had been recorded across the state ahead of the poll.

Residents were encouraged to remain law-abiding and cooperate with security operatives deployed across polling units and strategic locations.

The police command reaffirmed its commitment to maintaining peace and order throughout the election period, emphasizing that all arrangements had been finalised to ensure voters freely exercise their civic rights.