BY ROTIMI DUROJAIYE
In readiness for the November 6 governorship election in Anambra State, the Inspector-General of Police, Baba Usman, on Tuesday announced the deployment of more than 100 senior police officers to the state.
The Deputy Inspector General of Police, Force Criminal Investigations and Intelligence Department, Joseph Egbunike, is the coordinator of the election security in the state.
Frank Mba, a Commissioner of Police and Force spokesman, disclosed this in a statement in Abuja, on Tuesday.
Mba said Egbunike will work directly with seasoned strategic commanders’ from the rank of Assistant Commissioner of Police and above for effective supervision of security personnel and operations in the elections.
They include five Assistant Inspectors -General of Police, 14 Commissioners of Police, 31 Deputy Commissioners of Police, and 48 ACPs.
“DIG Egbunike is saddled with the responsibility of overseeing the implementation of the Operation Order evolved from the Election Security Threat Assessment, to ensure a peaceful environment devoid of violence and conducive enough to guarantee that law-abiding citizen freely perform their civic responsibilities without molestation or intimidation,” Mba explained.
Egbunike will be assisted by the DIG in charge of Operations, Acting DIG Zaki Ahmed.
Other strategic commanders deployed in Anambra State include five Assistant Inspectors -General of Police, 14 Commissioners of Police, 31 Deputy Commissioners of Police and 48 Assistant Commissioners of Police.
“The senior officers are to coordinate human and other operational deployments in the three Senatorial Districts, 21 Local Government Areas, and the 5,720 polling units in Anambra State,” said the FPRO.
This deployment of the enormous police power to Anambra comes about four days after the Indigenous People of Biafra threatened to disrupt the election if their leader, Nnamdi Kanu, was not released by November 4.
Kanu is currently held by the Department of State Service for demanding the Biafra Republic.
At his resumed trial last week, the government brought seven new charges against him.
IPOB, which has a military wing called the Eastern Security Network, threatened over the weekend to impose a sit-at-home order from November 5, a day to the election, if Kanu is not released by November 4.
The group has been already been enforcing a weekly stay-at-home in the South-East every Monday.
The Police statement quoted the IGP as asking Anambra electorates to come out en masse and exercise their franchise “as adequate security has been emplaced to protect them before, during and after the elections.”
“The IGP reassures the nation that the force is adequately prepared for the gubernatorial elections in Anambra State come November 6, 2021,” the statement said.
“He reiterates that the force will do everything within its powers to work with the Independent National Electoral Commission and all stakeholders to protect democratic values, provide a level playing field for all political actors, ensure adequate protection of voters, INEC personnel and equipment, accredited observers and other key players in Anambra State.
