Nigeria Police deploys helicopter, officers for Kogi election

The Inspector-General of Police, Solomon Arase has deployed the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Operations, Wakama Sotonye to take charge of security for the Kogi State governorship election holding on Saturday.

Arase also ordered the deployment of Marine Police, Anti-Bomb, Counter-Terrorism Units, Police Mobile Force, Force Intelligence Unit and Mounted Troop to complement the conventional  police manpower deployed for the election.

A statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, Olabisi Kolawole on Wednesday in Abuja, said the IG had also directed the AIG in charge of the Police Air Wing to deploy a helicopter for aerial patrol before, during and after the election.

He  assured Nigerians, especially indigenes of Kogi State, of the readiness of the Nigeria Police Force and other relevant security agencies to provide effective security and ensure a smooth and orderly conduct of the election.

Arase who addressed stakeholders and police officers in Lokoja, Kogi State, warned all trouble-makers and anti-social elements to stay away from the state throughout the period of the election “as the police will not hesitate to arrest and prosecute any person, no matter how highly placed in society, who flouts the law or causes a breach of the peace.”

“To this end, the IG has directed the Deputy Inspector-General of Police in charge of Department of Operations, DIG Sotonye Wakama, to relocate to Lokoja, the Headquarters of Kogi State so as to ensure adequate police presence and coordination of all security operations for the election in all polling units and collation centres  in the state,” the statement added.

Arase also ordered all police officers on election duties in Kogi State to ensure they work in line with the Police Code of Conduct and international best practices.

He admonished  members of the public particularly politicians, governorship candidates and other stakeholders in the state to cooperate with security agencies “in the onerous but patriotic task of guaranteeing a hitch-free gubernatorial poll.”