Olalekan Olabulo
The police have assured residents of Lagos State, particularly the non-Yorubas of their safety during and after the Saturday Presidential and National Assembly elections in the state.
The assurance was given on Thursday by the Deputy Inspector General of Police ( DIG) in charge of South West, Johnson Kokumo, Acting Assistant Inspector General in charge of Zone 2, Abiodun Alabi and the commissioner of police in Lagos State, Idowu Owohunwa, while briefing newsmen on their preparedness for the election.
DIG Kokumo said that twenty-seven thousand policemen have been deployed to different parts of the state to ensure the safety of lives and properties.
The DIG noted that the police had identified some parts of the state, where there is likely to be a breakdown of law and order and had done the necessary things.
The police boss, while reacting to a viral video, where some residents of the state were being threatened on their choice of the vote, assured that there is no cause for concern.
DIG Kokumo urged the police personnel to ensure that they abide by the Electoral Act rules, by ensuring that the election was free, fair and credible in all parts of the state.
The police boss said ” We are supposed to be apolitical. We should not unleash terror on the members of the public. Don’t use your arms on harmless members of the public.”
He added that “We are to be civil and respect the rights of citizens. We are to collaborate with sister security agencies, but we are to take lead according to the Electoral Act,”
The police boss said that the Inspector General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba had directed that the police should work with other security agencies to ensure the deployment of personnel on land, air and waterways.
Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Idowu Owohunwa assured that ” I assure DIG that we will not fail in Lagos as a command with God’s guardians and commitments of the men I have. We will not fail the nation.”
“The Lagos police boss added that ” We assured people in Lagos State that we will not fail in our elections’ duties. We shall make the nation proud,” Owohunwa assured.”
Also, the Acting Assistant Inspector General of Police in charge of Zone 2 A biAlabi warned criminals to stay away from Saturday elections.
He also warned policemen in the zone to be guided by the police guidelines on their conduct during the election.
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