Ahead of the September 21 governorship election in Edo State, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has announced a substantial security deployment to address rising tensions and concerns about safety.
Egbetokun revealed that 35,000 police officers would be stationed across the state, with an additional 8,000 personnel from sister security agencies such as the armed forces and the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) to provide further support.
He made the announcement during a stakeholders meeting organized by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and amid a heated exchange between Governor Godwin Obaseki, Tony Aziegbemi, Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), and the IGP.
Both Obaseki and Aziegbemi expressed concerns about alleged biases in the police force against the PDP.
Present at the meeting was the INEC Chairman, Professor Mahmud Yakubu who stated that former Head of State General Abdulsalami Abubakar (retd.) would oversee the signing of a peace pact today, Egbetokun provided further details on security measures.
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Egbetokun emphasized that the activities of state-run quasi-security organizations like the Edo State Security Network (ESSN) would remain suspended, and security aides attached to VIPs would be withdrawn for the duration of the election. Egbetokun outlined election offenses and warned that violators would be prosecuted.
Egbetokun stated, “It is the responsibility of all stakeholders to ensure that elections take place and the security of all is the responsibility of the police and we will be supported by other security agencies to ensure safety. We understand the importance of our role in this election and we will ensure that everything is done in compliance with that.”
He also noted that all entry and exit points in Edo State would be monitored, and movement would be restricted between 6 am and 6 pm.
Egbetokun urged political leaders to caution their members against violence, saying, “We will deploy sufficient personnel for the election. For the Edo State Governorship election, we will deploy 35,000 personnel, and there will be another 8,000 from other security agencies to complement us. We have undertaken several measures including a tour of hot spots, engaging stakeholders, and operational visits, and we will continuously engage all.”
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