Election: IG deploys more resources to states, FCT

The Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, has extended additional human and logistic support to police commands and formations across the country for effective election security management during next Saturday’s governorship and state houses of assembly elections.

The additional support includes the deployment of personnel, operational vehicles, non-lethal weapons, personal protective equipment (body armour), and anti-riot equipment among others.

The Force Public Relations, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, made the revelation in a statement obtained by our correspondent on Tuesday.

Adejobi said, “The IGP has charged all strategic police managers to deploy the additional distributed operational assets and manpower to ensure the emplacement of a proper security arrangement for the upcoming elections as all hands must be on deck to ensure that the elections are conducted in a peaceful and secure environment.

“In the same vein, the IGP has ordered the continuous mop-up of illicit arms and ammunition across the nation as part of efforts of the Force, as the lead agency in internal security management, to curb the trafficking of illicit Small Arms and Light Weapons within the country and mitigate any form of insecurity or threats to the ongoing electoral processes and general safety of Nigeria.

“The IGP confirmed that within one month from the handover of previously recovered arms and ammunition to the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons on February 16, 2023, the Nigeria Police has recovered additional 182 sophisticated arms and 430 ammunition of various calibres.

“He ordered all Commands and Formations to intensify efforts towards decimating the proliferation of illicit arms and ammunition in the country.”