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The Nigeria Police have deployed 22,600 conventional
and 2,835 mobile policemen to monitor the re-run election slated for
January 6 in Delta State.

Also, no fewer than 6,500 officers of the Nigeria
Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) will be deployed to work with
other security agencies to ensure that the re-run election succeeds.

Audu Abubakar, the Deputy Inspector General of
Police, “B” Department (Operations), said no fewer than six officers
would be deployed to man each of the polling centres in the state to
forestall violence.

“The Federal Government is determined, INEC is ready
and we are given a matching order to be here and ensure that the
election is not only credible but free and fair,” Mr Abubakar said. “We
have deployed 22,600 officers and men of conventional police and 45 PMF
units of 63 officers per unit from various squadrons. My call to all
the non-governmental organisations, foreign and local election
observers and good spirited individuals is for them to collaborate with
INEC officials and the security agents.” The police boss, who had a
closed door meeting with the 14 gubernatorial candidates contesting in
the re-run election, said it is in the interest of all the candidates
to shun violence.

Great Ogboru, the Democratic People’s Party candidate told reporters that the DIG underscored the seriousness of the election.

“The meeting with the DIG was quite instructive; he
made us to understand that there was a national seriousness attached to
the elections and that it was a litmus test. We were reminded that
thuggery and violations of the Election Act will not be tolerated,” Mr
Ogboru said.

The state PDP Chairman, Peter Nwaoboshi, also said the party was satisfied with the security arrangement.

Joining forces

The NSCDC Commandant in Delta State, Amos Andekin, said the command would deploy 3, 500 of its officers,

while 1,000 officers each from Edo, Anambra and Bayelsa States would join his men.

He explained that two officers would be assigned to
each perceived quiet polling units, while more than two officers would
be deployed in volatile units located in areas such as Warri and Asaba.

The commandant explained further that he had appealed
to the Bayelsa State command of NSCDC to place 300 officers on
stand-by, and another 50 each from Edo and Anambra.

Mr Andekin, however, said that the deployment of the
officers would be a challenge, claiming that though the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Delta State had said it would
not provide any other logistic support apart from feeding the officers,
mobility will be one of the major challenges because the corps does not
have vehicles with which to transport the officers to the units they
are deployed to.

Luka Ikpi, Sector Commander of the Federal Road
Safety Corps (FRSC), also said that 130 officers of the command would
be on ground to guarantee smooth flow of traffic. He said that the
officers would also ensure that the movement of vehicles was restricted
until after the re-run election.