Osun Election: Police Declare Curfew on Friday

Matilda Omonaiye & NAN/

Ahead of the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Ibrahim Idris’ meeting with stakeholders’ in the Osun State governorship election, tomorrow, in Osogbo, police said today that a curfew would begin midnight on Friday, September 21, until the end of the election.

Other security arrangements for the September 22 election, according to a statement by the police spokesman, Acting Deputy Commissioner of Police, Jimoh Moshood, include the deployment of 300 patrol vehicles, 30 Armoured Personnel Carriers and two surveillance helicopters.

Jimoh said the whole arrangement would be coordinated by the Deputy Inspector-General in charge of Operations, who will be assisted by one Assitant Inspector-General of Police and eight commissioners.

Ahead of them, operatives of the Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department (FCIID) and the IGP’s Monitoring Unit are already on the ground to prevent and arrest anyone involved in vote buying.

According to Moshood’s statement, the IGP has directed that a robust and elaborate security arrangement be implemented to ensure a secure environment for a peaceful and credible election.

The statement says: “The DIG, D-Ops will lead, implement and coordinate the security operations, and also supervise the deployment of all Personnel of other Security Agencies under the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) for the election throughout the 3,764 Polling units/voting points in the 332 Wards and the thirty LGAs of the State.

“To ensure adequate security and safety of life and property before, during and after the election, the IGP has graciously approved the deployment of adequate Police personnel to Osun State for the Election. The personnel that were already trained and oriented on election security and electoral act on the responsibilities and functions expected of them, comprises the Police Mobile Force (PMF) Units, Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), the Special Protection Unit (SPU), the Anti Bomb Squad (EOD), Conventional Policemen, the Armament Unit, personnel of FCIID, IGP Monitoring, IGP IRT teams, the Sniffer dogs section and the Mounted Troop.

“Four unarmed Policemen and two others from other security agencies will be on duty at each voting point throughout the State. The Police Mobile Force (PMF) headed by the very Senior Officer will provide security at the RAC, Super RAC and Collation centres.

”Two Police Patrol Surveillance Helicopters, thirty Armoured Personnel Carriers, ten Armoured Personnel Vehicles and 300 Police patrol vehicles are already deployed to cover the entire State including difficult terrains. Other security and safety agencies who are members of Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) in the State have also been posted to complement the Nigeria Police Force during the election.

“As part of additional measures to guarantee a peaceful and credible election, the IGP will on 17th September 2018 attend a stakeholders and peace accord meeting with INEC Chairman and the Forty-Eight (48) political parties participating in the election and their flag bearers, INEC officials, election observers and other accredited stakeholders will also be in attendance in Osogbo, Osun State.

“Furthermore, Police officers and personnel of other security and safety agencies deployed for the elections are under strict Instructions to be strict, polite and civil but firm in the discharge of their duties and other responsibilities. They are to provide adequate security for the electorates, INEC Officials, movement of election materials, the accredited election observers/Monitors and other individuals and bodies that have statutory roles in the conduct of the election, at the Polling units, Collation Centres and INEC Offices throughout the State before, during and after the election.

“The Nigeria Police Force will not tolerate, condone, or allow Vote Buying and Selling to take place anywhere in Osun State before and during the election. The Force hereby wishes to warn all political parties and their flag bearers to prevail on their agents, members and supporters not to engage in buying and selling of votes which is in violation of the electoral act.

“The following phone numbers can be used by any member of the public who noticed any act of Vote Buying and Selling anywhere in the State before and during the election: (i) 08037025670 (ii) 08037160989 (iii) 08033415589 (iv) 08032451594.

“The Police personnel and that of other security agencies have been trained and briefed not to abdicate their duty, hesitate or contemplate the immediate arrest, detention and hand over to the Police joint team specially set up by the IGP to tackle and deal decisively in accordance with the law anybody or group, agents of political parties or their sponsor(s) who engages or attempt vote buying and selling during the election, inclusive the buyers and the sellers will not be spared.

“Special security identification tags will be worn by all security personnel deployed for the election. No personnel of any security agency will be allowed to move to any other location other than where they are deployed throughout the election period.

” Security personnel attached to public office holders and politicians, and other VIPs will not be allowed to follow their principals to the polling units or collation centres throughout the election.

“Consequently, Security personnel are warned to desist from escorting their Principals and Politicians to polling units and collation centres during the election. Any deviant security detail will be apprehended and dealt with accordingly.

“Commissioners of Police and their personnel in States contiguous to Osun State, such as Oyo, Ekiti, Ondo, Ogun and Kwara States have been directed by the IGP to be on Red-Alert with their personnel. They are to deploy massively within areas neighbouring to Osun State to prevent crimes, hoodlums and miscreants and other unwanted elements or groups from infiltrating from their States to Osun State to disrupt the election.

“RESTRICTION OF VEHICULAR MOVEMENT IN AND OUT OF OSUN STATE will commence from 12-midnight of Friday, 21st September 2018 till the end of the election and will be strict and total throughout the State. Travellers and other road users are advised to make use of alternative routes. The Highway and major roads from Ibadan, Oyo State to Akure in Ondo State will be closed from 12 Midnight on Friday 21st September 2018 till the end of the election. Travellers, commuters and other road users can use Lagos – Ore – Benin Highway and Lagos – Ibadan – Ilorin Highway as alternative routes. However, those on essential duties on a genuine proven course will be granted passage only.

“All the Forty-Eight (48) participating Political parties participating in the election and their leadership and supporters, Traditional rulers, Community leaders, parents and Guardians are advised to seriously warn their members, supporters, subjects, children and wards to be law abiding and not allowed themselves to be used to cause disturbance of the peace or disruption of the election/electoral process anywhere in the State. The full weight of the law will be applied to any person or group of persons found violating the electoral act, or indulging in any criminal conduct capable of causing violence before, during and after the election.

“Threat assessments have been carried out by the Police in Osun State and all identified flashpoints and challenges observed have been addressed. However, the Force will not hesitate to deal decisively in accordance with the electoral act and other enabling laws with any individual(s) or group(s), no matter how highly placed, whose utterances or conduct is contrary to the electoral act, or that can incite disturbance of public peace, law and order before, during or after the election.
17. The electorates and the general public in Osun State who observe any untoward incident or crime can reach the Joint Security Operation Room for the election through the following phone numbers: (i) 08037025670 (ii) 08037160989 (iii) 08033415589 (iv) 08123823981 (v) 08039537995 (vi) 08075872433

“The Inspector General of Police is hereby assuring the electorates, the contestants and all law abiding citizens in Osun State of adequate security throughout the election. He deeply appreciates the peaceful behaviour of all the good people of Osun State so far towards the forthcoming Governorship election and therefore, enjoins them to go out and cast their votes without any fear or apprehension. They are also implored to cooperate with Police personnel and that of other Security Agencies in the discharge of their duties.”

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