IGP: Over 400,000 security operatives will be deployed for presidential poll

Usman Baba, the inspector-general of police (IGP), says a total of 404,106 security operatives will be mobilised for the February 25 presidential poll.

Speaking on Thursday during a media briefing at the presidential villa, Baba said the security operatives will include officers of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF), Federal Road Service Corps (FRSC), Nigerian Correctional Service (NCoS), National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), and Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC).

“From INEC’s records, there exist 176,846 polling units in the 8,809 wards of the 36 states and the federal capital territory, which elections will be conducted,” he said.

“The Nigeria police, with support from other security agencies, have perfected plans to deploy in a coordinated and collaborated manner to cover all locations.

“The deployment will cover the national collation centre in Abuja as well as other collation centres across the states of the federation, FCT, and 774 LGAs.

“In view of the above, the Nigeria police will deploy 310,973 personnel for election security operations. The manpower required for this exercise will be completed by the military and other security agencies.

“In this regard, aside the military and DSS, other security agencies would contribute a total of 93,495 personnel for the election security operations.

“This includes Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps who will deploy 51,000 personnel; FRSC, 21,000; Nigerian Correctional Service, 11,336; NDLEA, 9,447; EFCC, 350, totalling 404,106.

“With this layout, a minimum of at least two personnel drawn from the above agencies will be jointly deployed to each of the polling units across the country.”