FROM IKHILI EBALU, BENIN CITY Inspector-General of Police, IGP, Kayode Egbetokun, yesterday, disclosed that 35,000 police personnel have been earmarked to provide security for the September 21 Edo State governorship election.
The IGP also said 8,000 military and other agents would be deployed to man the waterways, entry and exit parts of the state.
Egbetoku disclosed this in Benin during a stakeholders meeting on the governorship election.
He also announced the ban on Edo State Security Network, ESSN, from participating in security operations during the election.
He said the task of securing voters and election materials rest squarely on the police who will be supported by other national securities to ensure credible election.
Egbetokun warned that no private or state-owned security apparatus would be allowed to operate during and after the election.
“All local securities in Edo State should refrain from participating in the election. Activities of Edo State Security Network remain suspended,” the IGP declared
Egbetokun assured that the police would ensure strict compliance to the Electoral Act and other requisite laws to provide conducive environment for peaceful conduct of the election.
According to him, the police will not tolerate any act of hooliganism and violence during the election. Any one caught with weapons would be treated and dealt with as criminal.
It would be recalled that concerns had been raised over activities of the state-owned security apparatus, following the killing of Inspector Akor Onu, a security aide to the candidate of the All Progressives Congress, APC, Senator Monday Okpebholo.
Onu was shot dead on July 18 along Airport Road by yet-to-be-identified gunmen.
