Somtochukwu

The police have said it would enforce the withdrawal of orderlies from all Very Important Persons (VIPs) in Edo during the State Sept. 19 Governorship election, Igbere TV reports.

Deputy Inspector-General of Police (DIG), Research and Planning, Adeleye Oyebade stated this, on Wednesday, in response to an inquiry by our correspondent, in Benin City.

“All security aides are barred from accompanying VIPs and political appointees during the election,” he said, warning that anyone who flouted the order would be severely reprimanded.

Igbere TV reports that Oyebade, who is supervising the general security arrangement for the election, has an AIG and 8 commissioners under him for the poll, in addition to the over 31,000 officers deployed to Edo for the election.

Speaking further, the DIG also disclosed that as from Friday midnight, the restriction of movement would commence till the same time on Saturday, warning that no one is allowed to wear any cloth, emblem, or colour signifying any political party to the polling units on Saturday.

He said as a prelude to the election, the police recently mopped up arms to curtail the proliferation of illegal arms, adding that no carrying of arms by persons, groups, or outfits by whatever name would be allowed.

“No person is allowed to move around with security personnel around polling units. Everyone is enjoined to vote and return to their respective houses or remain peacefully within the approved parameters of the polling centres.”

For the Saturday election, the police DIG said three policemen will man each polling unit in the 2,627 polling booths in the 192 wards that make up the entire Edo state.

He said the police officers to be deployed to the polling units have been well cautioned to be “apolitical, neutral, and professional in the conduct of their duties.”

The DIG warned “would-be miscreants and other political thugs who might be holding clandestine, nocturnal meetings to foment trouble with the motive to disrupt the Edo governorship election to desist from it.”

“Let me at this juncture assure the good people of Edo State that the officers deployed for this special assignment will be apolitical, neutral, and professional in their constitutional responsibilities.

“The police officers and other counterparts from sister agencies who are involved in this election will be posted to the polling booths by name, and would wear identifiable tags for easy identification,” Oyebade added.

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