Police deploy personnel, operational assets for Ekiti guber election

The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba, has ordered the deployment of adequate personnel and other operational assets of the Force ahead of June 18 Ekiti State governorship election.

The Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Muyiwa Adejobi, made this known via a statement on Sunday.

Adejobi said the deployment would involve Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs), technical capabilities of the Police Air wing, the Force Marine, Mounted Troops, K-9 Section, and other operational assets.

The police spokesperson added that the selected seasoned Strategic Commanders from the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police would also be deployed, to ensure effective supervision of security personnel and operations in the election.

He said the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG), in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Johnson Kokumo, had been deployed to coordinate the security component for the election.

Adejobi said Kokumo, also the supervisory DIG for the South-West would oversee the implementation of the operation order evolved from the Election Security Threat Assessment.

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He said the idea was to ensure a peaceful and conducive environment, devoid of violence that would guarantee law-abiding citizens of security to perform their civic responsibilities, without molestation or intimidation.

According to him, Kokumo will be assisted by four Assistant Inspectors-General of Police (AIGs), three Commissioners of Police (CPs), five Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs), and 18 Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACPs).

He said the Senior Officers would coordinate human and other operational deployments in the three Senatorial Districts, sixteen  Local Government Areas, and the 2,445 polling units in Ekiti.

Adejobi said conventional police officers, Police Mobile Force (PMF), Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), Special Forces personnel, Explosives Ordinance Unit (EOD), Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB), and INTERPOL would be on ground for the election

He said the Special Protection Unit (SPU), Force Public Relations Department (FPRD), and Police Medical Teams would also be deployed to guarantee free, fair, credible, and acceptable election.

According to the Force spokesperson, five Armored Personnel Carriers for patrol, as well as four helicopters and unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), for aerial surveillance are among other unique operational assets for the exercise.

The Star