Lagos By-Election: Police Grant Exemption To WAEC Officials, Candidates

The Lagos State Police Command has granted movement exemption to officials of the West African Examination Council (WAEC) as well as candidates who will be involved in the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination for Private Candidates.

This was disclosed in a statement on Friday evening by SP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, Public Relations Officer for the Lagos Command on behalf of the Lagos Commissioner of Police, CP Hakeem Odumosu.

The statement noted that WAEC officials (supervisors) and candidates are to be exempted from the movement restriction declared as a result of the by-election for Lagos East Senatorial District and Kosofe 11 Constituency of the Lagos State House of Assembly.

Naija News recalls the Lagos State Police Command had earlier restricted movement in some parts of the state ahead of the by-elections scheduled for Saturday, 5th December 2020.

The restriction of movement will be in place between 6am and 6pm of Saturday, 5th December, 2020 and only those on essential duties will be allowed to move.

The restricted places are Somolu, Kosofe, Epe, Ikorodu, and Ibeju-Lekki local government areas.

The statement on exemption due to WAEC exams reads: “The Lagos State Police Command has exempted the West African Examination Council officials (supervisors) and candidates who will be involved in the ongoing West African Senior School Certificate Examination for Private Candidates scheduled to hold on Saturday 5th December, 2020, from the restriction of movement order between 6am and 6pm of the date due to the bye elections of the Lagos East Senatorial District and Kosofe 11 Contituency of the Lagos State House of Assembly slated for Saturday 5th December, 2020.

The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, CP Hakeem Odumosu, made the declaration today after due consultation with relevant stakeholders on the need to consider such exemption for the concerned officials and candidates

The affected Local Government Areas for the bye elections are Epe, Ibeju Lekki, Kosofe, Somolu and Ikorodu.

CP Hakeem Odumosu however stated categorically that according to the clarification made available to the police by WAEC on means of identification, the concerned WAEC staff will be identified by their staff Identification cards, while supervisors must be in possession of their appointment letters from WAEC or Identification cards and examination mailbags. The candidates will be identified by their photo cards which contain their names, passport photographs, and subject details.

The police boss, therefore, urged those exempted to be law-abiding, orderly, and courteous while in contact and relating with security operatives in the course of their movement during the restriction period.