The Inspector-General of Police (I-G), Mr Usman Baba, has ordered the deployment of adequate personnel and other operational assets of the Force ahead of June 18 Ekiti governorship election.
The Force Public Relations Officer (FPRO), CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said this in a statement on Sunday in Abuja.
Adejobi said the deployment would involve Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs), technical capabilities of the Police Air wing, the Force Marine, Mounted Troops, K-9 Section, and other operational assets.
Adejobi said selected seasoned Strategic Commanders from the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police would also be deployed, to ensure effective supervision of security personnel and operations in the election.
He said the Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG), in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID), Mr Johnson Kokumo, had been deployed to coordinate the security component for the election.
Adejobi said Kokumo, also the supervisory DIG for the South-West, would oversee the implementation of the operation order evolved from the Election Security Threat Assessment.
He said the idea was to ensure a peaceful and conducive environment, devoid of violence that would guarantee law abiding citizens of security to perform their civic responsibilities, without molestation or intimidation.
According to him, Kokumo will be assisted by four Assistant Inspectors-General of Police (AIGs), three Commissioners of Police (CPs), five Deputy Commissioners of Police (DCPs) and 18 Assistant Commissioners of Police (ACPs).
He said the Senior Officers would coordinate human and other operational deployments in the three Senatorial Districts, sixteen Local Government Areas and the 2,445 polling units in Ekiti.
Adejobi said conventional police officers, Police Mobile Force (PMF), Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), Special Forces personnel, Explosives Ordinance Unit (EOD), Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB), and INTERPOL would be on ground for the election
He said the Special Protection Unit (SPU), Force Public Relations Department (FPRD) and Police Medical Teams would also be deployed to guarantee free, fair, credible and acceptable election.
According to to the Force spokesperson, five Armored Personnel Carriers for patrol, as well as four helicopters and unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), for aerial surveillance are among other unique operational assets for the exercise.