Despite Attacks on Facilities, Anambra Police Expresses Readiness for Saturday’s Elections

•Force, Army, NSCDC, others to deploy 7,000 personnel in Ondo

David-Chyddy Eleke in Awka and Fidelis David in Akure

Despite several attacks on its facilities in the state, the Anambra State Police Command, has expressed readiness for Saturday’s election.

This is as the Ondo State command of Force, and other sister security agencies, yesterday, said it would deploy 7,000 personnel to provide security across the state, during the Saturday presidential and National Assembly elections.

In the last one week, five facilities belonging to the Anambra Police command had been attacked by unknown gunmen, while close to eight operatives had paid the supreme price.

But yesterday, men of the command, joined by other security agencies embarked on a show of force, saying they were ready for Saturday’s election.

Spokesperson for the state police command, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga, who hinted THISDAY of the show of force, said the operation, which was led by the Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Echeng Echeng, has also improved the deployment of personnel across the state.

“The police, military and other security agencies today (Tuesday) embarked on a show of force in demonstration of the readiness for the forthcoming election, and the assurance of protection of lives and properties, and maintenance of law and order.

“This includes improved personnel deployment and positioning of security forces to attend to security requests ahead, during and after the 2023 general election in the state.

“The show of force led by the Commissioner of Police, CP Echeng Echeng had the military, Navy, DSS, the Nigeria Civil Defence Corps, Federal Road Safety, Immigration Service and other sister agencies in the convoy.”

The Command, yesterday, however, observed a minutes silence for police officers, who paid the supreme price during attacks by gunmen.

The Divisional Police Officer of Isiowulu, Idemili North, CSP Francis Williams and three others were among those who lost their lives during Monday morning attack on the police division. 

“The CP assured them that the command will not rest on its oars until the criminal elements tormenting the state are brought to justice,” he said.

In a related development, the Commissioner of Police in Ondo State, Oyediran Oyeyemi, made this known in Akure the state capital, during a  meeting with heads of other sister security agencies in the state, meant to cement their synergy ahead of the election.

According to Oyeyemi, the personnel will be drawn from the state command of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Federal Road Service Corps (FRSC), Nigerian Correctional Service (NCOs), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) and the 32 Artillery Brigade,

He assured the people that the security agencies were fully prepared to ensure that the citizens are allowed to make free choices, stressing that the Police, which were the leading security agency in the coverage of elections in the country,  would assist the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct a free, fair and credible election.

“All relevant agencies connected to the forthcoming elections are here to assure the public that we are ready as ever for the success of the elections. I want to inform the public that they should rest assured that forthcoming elections will be peaceful and that we are ready for that purpose.

“Thuggery and other vices associated with it won’t be allowed. Thank God, since the campaign started, we’ve not recorded any ugly incident. We didn’t allow two political parties camping in the same locality same day, and that has paid off,” he said.