House of Assembly election witnesses improved security presence in Edo

There is a couspicous improvement in the security situation on Saturday in Edo for the March 18 House of Assembly election in the state.

Residents of Edo are going to the poll to elect 24 House of Assembly members, as the governorship election is only due in the state in 2024.

As against the experience during the Feb. 25 Presidential and National Assembly Elections, there is a large presence of security operatives on election duty.

Newsmen reports that combined teams of security agents mounted roadblocks in strategic areas in the state to enforce the restriction of movement order by the Inspector-General of Police.

In Benin, as of 7 a.m. on Saturday, the teams, which comprised police officers, military personnel and other paramilitary officers were already at checkpoints conducting stop-and-search.

A Correspondent, who monitored the situation at Ugbowo, Iyaro, Akpakpava, First East Circular road and Sapele road among others, said vehicular movement was being restricted, except those who were on election duty.

This is a sharp contrast to the situation during the last elections, when residents flagrantly defied the restriction on movement, with inadequate security officers to enforce the directive.

Many were seen engaging in their businesses without recourse to the security guideline.

This development, many stakeholders blamed for the pocket of violence that characterised the electoral process in some part of the state.