Ahead of the March 18 Governorship and State Assembly elections, the Nigeria Police said they have deployed more personnel and fighting equipment to checkmate political thuggery and related electoral offenses in Sokoto State.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that groups and stakeholders in the state had earlier, after the Feb. 25 Presidential and National Assembly elections, continued to appeal for peace and more support from security agencies in the state.
A statement issued by the command’s Spokesman, DSP Sanusi Abubakar, on Friday in Sokoto, revealed that the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba, has deployed additional manpower and equipment.
According to Abubakar, the equipment deployed include state-of-the-earth anti-riot and crowd management equipment, police mobile force, special forces personnel and crowd control asset.
“This is in order to checkmate political thuggery and related electoral offences to adequately secure the forthcoming Election in Sokoto,” he said.
He quoted the Commissioner of Police in the state, Mr Muhammed Gumel, as assuring residents of the command’s readiness to deal with any security risks.
Gumel said the security agencies are fully prepared, “Therefore, residents should come out massively to their polling units and vote their choice freely without any molestation.
“The IGP has boosted our strength, as such I want to assure you that with other security agencies, we will provide required security for INEC to conduct the elections as scheduled,” he said.
He further assured members of the public to keep calm and at the same time warn troublemakers to stay away from causing problems during the poll.
Gumel said the Command will use all necessary forces and would do everything within their operational guidelines in conjunction with the Military and other security agencies to subdue any unwanted act that will disrupt the polls. (NAN)
