Tough time awaits thugs, ballot box snatchers – IGP
Ahead of Saturday’s governorship and State Assembly elections, the acting Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Adamu Abubakar, has warned political thugs and would be ballot snatchers to steer clear of polling units across the country as they will meet their waterloo.
He said the Nigeria Police as the leading election security agency has concluded security arrangements to frustrate persons with the intention of causing mayhem during the polls as he assured Nigerian voters, foreign and domestic election observers, INEC staff and ad-hoc official of adequate security.
Speaking at a meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) held at the INEC secretariat, Abuja on Thursday, the acting IGP said the Police have identified areas to be improved upon in Saturday’s election after a review of the February 23 Presidential and National Assembly elections.
Warning politicians and sponsored thugs to jettison ideas of disrupting election, Adamu said “this time will be very tough for you. You will never have the opportunity to do that again.
“If you intend to disrupt the election, don’t come out at all”.
The IGP called for the continuous cooperation and collaboration of all security agencies in the country with INEC to strengthen and deepen the country’s Democratic process.
The National Security Adviser, Babagana Mongunu, said his office has for the first time in the history of election conduct in Nigeria deployed officers and men in all the 36 states and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The NSA, who was represented by Sanusi Galadima, assured Nigerians and the international community of secured election on Saturday.
“Saturday’s election will be more successful and be more secured than the previous one because we have been able to identify causes of infractions and marked flash points,”the NSA said.
He said an election monitoring situation room has been opened in his office to coordinate adequate security.
Assuring of credible conduct of the polls, the National Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, said that Commission has overcome all Logistics problems and will conclude transmission of all election materials to local government today.
He appealed to security agencies nationwide to provide right security to its staff, election materials and voters, while he assured voters to come out en mass without fear of molestation.
Yakubu said certificate of returns will be issued to elected senators and members of House of Representatives next week Thursday at the International Conference Centre, Abuja.
He, however, said certificate of returns will be issued to elected State governors of the 29 states where election will be conducted, 121 members of states Assembly in their states.
Yakubu said INEC will continue to work with the IGP, and State Police Commissioners to prosecute all culprits arrested for different Electoral Offences during the February 23 polls.
