November 10, 2024
By Idris Buba
With less than a week to the Ondo State Gubernatorial Election, scheduled for November 16, 2024, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Egbetokun, has assured the public of the Nigeria Police Force’s unwavering readiness to ensure a peaceful and orderly election process across all 18 Local Government Areas, 203 Wards, and 3,933 Polling Units in the state.
The IGP emphasized the established guidelines governing election security management in Nigeria, stressing that no quasi-security organization, including state-backed groups like Vigilante Corps or Amotekun, will be permitted to participate in the election process, insisting that the security of the governorship election is a responsibility entrusted solely to the Nigeria Police Force and other federal security agencies, along with the broader membership of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security.
Egbetokun, confirmed that comprehensive plans have been set in motion to guarantee a smooth election, including the strategic deployment of adequate personnel, resources, and state-of-the-art equipment.
READ MORE; Political Parties Sign Peace Accord Ahead Of Ondo Poll.
He said, the deployment will see officers from various specialized units, including the Special Intervention Squad, Police Mobile Force, Counter-Terrorism Unit, Special Protection Unit, Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit, K-9 Unit, Federal Investigation and Intelligence Response Team and Federal Intelligence and Security Task Force, will work work in concert with other security agencies.
The approved agencies will adhere strictly to the guidelines of the Electoral Act, 2022, ensuring that all measures taken align with the principles of fairness, transparency, and orderliness.
Working along the ground personnel, aerial patrols will be conducted with police helicopters, while gunboats will patrol the state’s waterways and riverine areas to ensure security across all terrains, the security measures will serve as a deterrent to any attempt to disrupt the electoral process
The IGP warned that political thugs and any individuals or groups who may contemplate acts of violence or disruption before, during, or after the election, will face the full force of the law.
He reaffirmed that Nigeria Police Force, in collaboration with other federal security agencies, remains committed, vigilant, and fully prepared to ensure that the Ondo State Gubernatorial Election proceeds smoothly, without any incident or crisis.
