Nigeria Decides: Ekiti Police, NSCDC Promise Tight Security

Security agencies in Ekiti State have expressed their readiness to ensure security of lives and properties as Nigerians vote in presidential and national assembly elections.

LEADERSHIP Weekend checks show the election will be held in the 2,445 Polling Units, 177 Registration Areas and across the 16 local government areas of the state.

The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had on Wednesday, commenced distribution of sensitive electoral materials to the councils.

According to the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, Prof. Ayobami Salami, “789,318 out of the 988,923 registered voters in the state have collected their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) with a total of 199,605 PVCs yet to be collected as at Sunday, February 5, when the last collection deadline ended”.

Salami who stated that relocation of some voters from some congested Polling Units to the sparsely populated ones has been effected the number of PVCs collected so far in the state translates to 80 per cent.

Meanwhile, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr Moronkeji Adesina said the command has mobilized human and material assets in partnership with other security agencies to secure the electoral process.

Also, the state Commandant of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, John Olatunde Fayemi  has said that  1500 officers have been deployed for the polls.

Adesina in a statement signed by the Command’s Police Public Relations Sunday Abutu said the move was “to provide adequate security for the entry and exit routes of Kogi, Kwara, Osun, and Ondo States to ensure low crime profile before, during and after the elections.

He said the Police is ready and prepared to perform its mandatory and statutory duty of protection of lives and properties of innocent citizens in the State before, during and after the election.

“In view of this, the IGP Usman Alkali Baba through CP Adesina has ordered a restriction of vehicular movement across the State from 12 am to 6 pm on election day with the exception of those on essential services such as INEC Officials, Electoral Observers, Ambulances responding to medical emergencies, fire -fighters, etc.

“The order is aimed at ensuring public order management, the safety of electorates, as well as assisting the security agencies in effective policing, thereby preventing hoodlums and criminally-minded elements from disrupting the electoral process.’’