Additionally, Mr. Idris said 3 aerial surveillance helicopters, 20 gunboats, 12 armored personnel carriers (APCs), and 300 patrol vehicles would be deployed for the Saturday governorship election.
The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) announced on Tuesday that it would deploy 26,000 police officers to Ondo State to ensure peace and security ahead of the governorship election on Saturday.
Ibrahim Idris, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), made the disclosure on Tuesday at a stakeholders meeting with leaders of political parties organized by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the State capital of Akure.
Mr. Idris said the personnel dispatched to Ondo State for the gubernatorial poll would display a high level of professionalism in their conduct and would ensure that polling units are adequately protected.
“Purely for this election, we are deploying an additional 26,000 police officers. These officers are going to enforce security at the polling units; each polling unit will have a minimum of five policemen in addition to other sister security agencies,” Mr. Idris said.
He added that the Ondo State border would be under tight security throughout the election.
A SaharaReporters correspondent gathered that the officers would come from the Police Mobile Force, the Counter-Terrorism Unit, the Anti-Bomb Squad, the Marine Police, and the Sniffer Dog Section, in addition to conventional NPF officers.
Additionally, Mr. Idris said 3 aerial surveillance helicopters, 20 gunboats, 12 armored personnel carriers (APCs), and 300 patrol vehicles would be deployed for the Saturday governorship election.
He added that the surveillance helicopters would be deployed to each of the three senatorial district of the State for effective policing.
The police boss maintained that the police would use dogs and horses for the protection of the State Headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
He said that the force, in collaboration with other sister security agencies, would be decisive on the restriction of movement of electorates on the day of the election.
Mr. Idris further explained that the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) in charge of Special Anti-Robbery Squad in Abuja, Habila Joshak, has been deployed to Ondo State to coordinate security operations ahead of the poll.
He assured that the security plan would guarantee a transparent and credible election, which will enable eligible voters to exercise their franchise freely during the Saturday governorship election.
The police boss who later addressed his officers at the State force headquarters on Igbatoro Road urged them not to compromise with unscrupulous politicians during the election.
