Police restrict movement for Lagos by-election, 8,000 officers to be deployed

Fatai Owoseni, commissioner of police, Lagos state police command, on Thursday said there would be restrictions on movement during Ifako/Ijaiye house of representatives bye-election scheduled for Saturday.

Speaking at a stakeholders’ forum organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the constituency on Thursday, Owoseni revealed that 8,000 security personnel would be deployed for the exercise.

He said the personnel will include police, military personnel and officers of Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC).

Owoseni added that three policemen would man each of the 335 polling units and 687 voting points.

“We want to ensure we secure the process as much as possible. You may know the beginning of violence, but no one knows the end of it. Please, don’t engage in violence,” he said.

“We have met and we are still meeting as security agents. We want to assure the people we will do all what is necessary to give all parties a level playing ground with regards to security.

“Our main concern is to secure the process; help us to tell your supporters that it is voting they are asked to come and do, not violence and killing.

“We are all related, we should think of this before engaging in violence. Elected offices are not gotten by violence; let us allow all to exercise their suffrage.

“We advise you to do politics without violence and rancor; we should suppress whatever violence tendency.”

Owoseni urged hoodlums to steer clear, warning that anyone caught would be dealt with decisively.

The police boss said that the command and other relevant security agencies would meet with the six candidates participating in the poll alongside with two representatives at the command headquarters.

He said the police would discuss with the contestants and make them sign a memorandum of understanding on peaceful conduct of supporters.

Owoseni commended all the gladiators for being peaceful in their conduct since campaign started, saying he had not heard any report of violence in the build up to the election.

Abdullahi Kaugama, supervisory commissioner for the poll, said the commission was ready, urging all stakeholders to cooperate with the electoral body.

Kaugama, who is the INEC resident electoral commissioner in Kaduna state, reiterated that accreditation and voting would commence simultaneously by 8am.

He said the card readers had been configured, tested and customised for each registration area to checkmate manipulation.

The INEC official said the commission’s personnel would resume by 7:30am, while voting would commence by 8am and run till 2pm.

He said any voter, who does not get to the queue by 2pm, will not be allowed to vote, but voting will not be concluded until the last person on queue casts his vote.

He said absence of party agents at any point would not stop the progress of the electoral process.

The six political parties contesting the poll are Action Alliance (AA), Alliance for Democracy (AD), African Democratic Party (ADC), All Progressives Congress (APC), Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Social Democratic Party (SDP).

Elijah Adewale, who represented the constituency, died in Abuja, on July 20.