Ondo Guber: Police bar Amotekun, others, warn political thugs
The Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, has said no quasi-security organisation, including state-sponsored organisations like Vigilante Corps or Amotekun, will be allowed to take part in the November 16 election in Ondo State.
According to the IGP, only the Nigeria Police Force and other federal security agencies, as well as the larger membership of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), have been given the authority to ensure the security of the election.
In a statement by the Force Public Relations Officer, ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the IGP warned political thugs and any other persons or groups that may consider committing violent or disruptive acts prior to, during, or following the election to desist otherwise, they will be subject to the full force of the law.
IGP Egbetokun reassured the public that the Nigeria Police Force is fully prepared to ensure a peaceful and orderly election process in all 18 Local Government Areas, 203 Wards, and 3,933 Polling Units in the state.
According to the IGP, extensive preparations have been made to ensure a successful election, including the deployment of sufficient staff, resources, and cutting-edge equipment.
“The deployment will see officers from various specialized units, including the Special Intervention Squad, Police Mobile Force (PMF), Counter-Terrorism Unit (CTU), Special Protection Unit (SPU), Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit, K-9 Unit, Federal Investigation and Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT), and Federal Intelligence and Security Task Force (FID-STS), working in concert with other security agencies. These agencies will adhere strictly to the guidelines of the Electoral Act, 2022, ensuring that all measures taken align with the principles of fairness, transparency, and order.
“In addition to ground personnel, aerial patrols will be conducted with police helicopters, while gunboats will patrol the state’s waterways and riverine areas to ensure security across all terrains,” Egbetokun stated.
