Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Alkali Baba, yesterday, disclosed that he will deploy 34,587 officers and men for the November 6, 2021 governorship election in Anambra State to ensure violence-free election.
He cautioned hoodlums and political gladiators who would want to use undemocratic and illegal means to achieve their aspirations to perish the thought and steer clear from the state in their own interest.
The IGP stated this in Abuja while addressing Commissioners of Police (CPs) and senior officers, saying the deployments would comprise conventional police officers, Police Mobile Force, the Counter-Terrorism Unit, Special Forces, Explosive Ordinance Unit, Force Intelligence Bureau, INTERPOL, Special Protection Unit and the medical team, among others.
He added that the deployments would also include three helicopters for aerial surveillance as well as detachments of Marine Police operatives to ensure safe, secure, and credible election in the state.
According to him, the police have also put in place adequate forward and reverse logistics arrangements for a seamless police operation in the state.
He noted that the deployment followed the outcome of the election security threat analysis conducted by the Force Intelligence Bureau ahead of the gubernatorial election in the state.
MEANWHILE, the Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has charged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct free, fair and transparent poll to avoid violence in Anambra State and the Southeast region upheavals.
It said no fewer than 205 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and affiliate bodies in the Nigeria human rights community have endorsed Peoples Democratic Party’s (PDP) candidate, Valentine Ozigbo, as the most suitable among the contenders for the governorship of Anambra state.
National Coordinator of HURIWA, Emmanuel Onwubiko, who stated this at a media briefing, yesterday, in Abuja, said it was heartwarming that Anambra State has some of the finest statesmen, industrialists, job and wealth creators, as well as and God-fearing persons running for the governorship seat.
Onwubiko said that it was disappointing that the All Progressives Congress (APC) had consistently manifested desperation and political avarice of frightening proportions in its quest to grab the governorship position by hook or crook.
The group urged President Muhammadu Buhari to play the role of a statesman, as he did when Willie Obiano of the All Progressives Grand Alliance (APGA) won a second term and avoid the temptation of manipulating INEC to hijack the votes of Anambra people for the APC.
