In recent times, the nation has been witnessing pockets of violence and incidences of insecurity in forms of armed robbery, border disputes, cattle rustlers’ illegal invasion of farmlands, assassinations and other politicallyrelated killings.
It is perhaps against this backdrop that the Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, decided to leave nothing to chance in providing security and ensuring safety of life and property in Edo State before, during and after Saturday’s governorship election.
The IGP, in ensuring that the September 10 election is conducted in accordance with the electoral law and in an atmosphere of peace and security, had deployed a Deputy Inspector General of Police, who will be assisted by an Assistant Inspector General of Police and three Commissioners of Police, to co-ordinate the security operations, supervise the deployment of security personnel and facilitate the electoral process throughout the State.
In addition, the IGP approved the deployment of additional 25,000 Police personnel, comprising the Police Mobile Force, the Counter Terrorism Units, the Anti bomb Squad, the Marine Police, conventional policemen, the Armament Units, personnel from Force Criminal Intelligence and Investigation Department, Force Intelligence Bureau and the Sniffer Dog Section.
It goes without saying that the 25,000 police personnel are an addition to the police officers serving in Edo State, before the deployment.
The IGP confirmed that all these were in addition to the provision of the Police aerial surveillance helicopters and gun boats, 10 additional Armoured Personnel Carriers and 550 patrol vehicles that have already been deployed, to cover all the polling units, rack centres, collating centres, riverine areas and difficult terrains.
His line of argument was that, they all form part of additional measures at guaranteeing a credible election, which outcome will be generally acceptable, having initially convened a Peace Accord Meeting of all the political parties, candidates, INEC officials, election observers and other stakeholders before the date of the election in Benin City, Edo State.The meeting focused on the overall desirability of peace during the election and adherence to the rules of the game.
The deployed security personnel are to be drafted to the voting centres under strict instructions to be professional and firm in the discharge of their statutory duties. It will be their duty to provide adequate security for the electorates, INEC officials, electoral materials, election observers and all stakeholders throughout the period of the election
Undoubtedly, the need to provide adequate security around voters in Edo State ahead of the election and indeed for the election is desirable.
But good as the intention of the IGP might be, what is worrisome to observers is that the number of personnel deployed makes the mission akin to a war situation.
Though no cost could be too much to incur in ensuring peace, given that complementing sister security agencies will also be on ground with similar mission, concerned observers are of the view that the number of personnel should have been pruned for costmanagement and effective performance.
On the part of those interested in seeing a free and fair election, there are concerns that majority of innocent electorate may be uncomfortable and too scared to throng the polling units when they see the heavy presence of security men.
“The overcrowding of Edo State with patrol vehicles and hovering helicopters, both registered and unregistered, could send a wrong signal to the electorates who may feel intimidated by such a large population of security personnel and thus decided not to vote for a candidate of their choice,” an international election observer said.
There are also concerns that a situation where security personnel resorted to intimidation and harassment of the electorates as observed during the 2014 Ekiti State gubernatorial election, during which security personnel were openly involved in acts of lawlessness, may rear its ugly head again.
While the importance of deploying security personnel for elections may not be overemphasised, the option of involving all relevant stakeholders within the state or region where elections are to be held in election and votes protection could be a better option in this age.
To achieve this, a process that will involve all political parties and their leaders, traditional rulers, community and religious leaders, parents and guardians who would, in turn, prevail on their members, supporters, subjects, children and wards to be law abiding and not allow themselves to be used as canon folders to cause disturbance or disruption to the electoral process, will be most desirable.
This, it is believed, would yield better results in terms of election turn-outs, peaceful election atmosphere and the overall election results/outcome.
