Anambra Election: Police to deploy 28, 000 Security Personnel

Police deploys 28,000 security personnel for Anambra Election

The Anambra State Police Command says it will deploy 28,000 security personnel to ensure free and fair governorship election scheduled to hold on November 18.

Naija News gathered that 400 vehicles, 100 flying boats consisting of 60 from the police and 40 from the Navy would be deployed for use by security operatives in riverine and upland communities.

The State Commissioner of Police, Garba Umar, said this on Tuesday in Akwa, at a meeting of heads of security formations in the state and representatives of the 37 political parties fielding candidates for the election.

Umar also cautioned political parties against damaging opposition posters, hate speeches, and other violent conducts.

He said that security operatives had identified 414 flash points of possible cases of electoral fraud and violence and had taken proactive measures to avert any security breach, adding that anyone caught violating the law before, during and after the election will be punished.

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He said, “The police have received a number of petitions from some stakeholders that are being investigated by the political desk of the state Criminal Investigation Intelligence Department (CIID).

“Other issues that have arisen thus far are clashes in Nsugbe town between members of APGA and APC, clashes of parties on their campaigns tours at Nteje in Oyi where the PDP and APGA teams held rallies simultaneously on Oct.28, 2017.”

Mr Yusuf Isyaku, Director, Department of State Services (DSS) urged politicians and political parties to be wary of the way the attack one another on the social media.

“You have many issues to talk about, the welfare of the people rather than promotion of hate speeches, abusing each other is unnecessary because that will not make you to win,’’ he said.

The Anambra State Chairman of Civil Society Organisations, Mr Chris Azor, called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to ensure it did proper accreditation for agents of political parties for the election monitoring.

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According to him, some political parties issued fake INEC accreditation to their agents to enable them subvert the process.

Mr Leo Nkedife, the INEC Head of Media and Publicity said every agent of political parties must submit their particulars including passports for accreditation before being issued accreditation.

He said that the INEC national chairman, Inspector-General of Police would hold a joint press conference on Nov.14 in Awka to highlight other issues before the election.

He said the conference would give INEC the opportunity to sign Memorandum Of Understanding, MOU, with various political parties on the need for peaceful, free and fair election in Anambra on Nov.18.