Ahead of the June 18, 2022 Ekiti State gubernatorial election, the Inspector-general Police, IGP Usman Baba, has deployed a deputy inspector-general of police (DIG), four assistant inspectors-general of police (AIGs) and four helicopters to the State.
In addition, the IGP also deployed five Armoured Personnel Carriers (APCs) for patrol as well as Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) for aerial surveillance, amongst other unique operational capabilities, to be deployed in Ekiti.
The IGP also ordered the mobilisation and deployment of adequate police personnel, APCs, technical capabilities of the Police Airwing, the Force Marine, Mounted Troops, K-9 section and other operational assets for the Ekiti State gubernatorial election.
Force PRO, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said the IGP noted that the deputy inspector-general of police in charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department (FCID) who is the supervisory DIG for the South-West geo-political zone, DIG Johnson Babatunde Kokumo, has been deployed to Ekiti as the coordinator of the security component for the election.
DIG Kokumo is responsible for overseeing the implementation of the operation order evolved from the election security threat assessment, to ensure a peaceful and conducive environment devoid of violence and to guarantee law abiding citizens of secured environment to freely perform their civic responsibilities without molestation or intimidation.
DIG Kokumo will be assisted by four assistant inspectors-general of police (AIGs), three commissioners of police (CPs), five deputy commissioners of police (DCPs) and 18 assistant commissioners of police (ACPs).
The senior officers are to coordinate human and other operational deployments in the three senatorial districts, 16 local government areas and the 2445 polling units of Ekiti State.
The IGP noted that the Force has carried out the necessary operational deployments as part of actions aimed at creating a conducive and enabling environment that will guarantee the peaceful and proper conduct of the election in Ekiti State.
The IGP further noted that the personnel, comprising conventional police officers, Police Mobile Force (PMF) Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU) Special Forces personnel, Explosives Ordinance Unit (EOD) Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB) INTERPOL, Special Protection Unit (SPU) Force Public Relations Department (FPRD) as well as police medical teams, will be on ground to guarantee free, fair, credible and acceptable election.