Security Deploys Big for Today’s Polls

In addition to the governorship and assembly polls, some areas are also voting in senatorial and House of Representatives elections that could not hold there two weeks ago.

Elections will however not hold in Bauchi and Kaduna States until Thursday.

In nine other states, namely Sokoto, Kogi, Adamawa, Cross River, Bayelsa, Ekiti, Osun, Edo, Ondo and Osun, there are no elections for governors, but state assembly elections are going ahead. No elections are being held in the Federal Capital Territory [FCT] today.

Ahead of today’s elections, policemen and soldiers were seen manning strategic locations in many states, especially in the ones where riots took place last week in the wake of presidential election results. Roadblocks have been set up on major highways and Nigeria’s borders with neighbouring countries have been closed until after the election. Curfews are also in place in some states arising from last week’s events, but in other areas too, there is a restriction of movement from 10pm last night until 5pm today.

In nine other states, namely Sokoto, Kogi, Adamawa, Cross River, Bayelsa, Ekiti, Osun, Edo, Ondo and Osun, there are no elections for governors, but state assembly elections are going ahead. No elections are being held in the Federal Capital Territory [FCT] today.

Ahead of today’s elections, policemen and soldiers were seen manning strategic locations in many states, especially in the ones where riots took place last week in the wake of presidential election results. Roadblocks have been set up on major highways and Nigeria’s borders with neighbouring countries have been closed until after the election. Curfews are also in place in some states arising from last week’s events, but in other areas too, there is a restriction of movement from 10pm last night until 5pm today.

The commissioner, while speaking to newsmen in his office along Makurdi road, Lafia yesterday said additional security personnel had arrived the state to keep peace during today’s polls.

In Benue State, our correspondent reports heavy deployment of military personnel to beef up security for today’s governorship elections. There has been anxiety and speculations across the state that today’s election which is seen as a straight fight between the ruling People’s Democratic Party (PDP) and the main opposition Action Congress of Nigeria (ACN) may be characterized by violence.

Daily Trust gathered that the heavily armed military personnel were mainly deployed from the 341 Artillery Regiment in Ogoja, Cross River State. They were earlier camped at the Nigeria Army School of Military Engineering (NASME) barracks in Makurdi before being deployed to the various local government areas of the state yesterday.

When our reporter visited the NASME barracks yesterday, the last batch of trucks loaded with the military personnel was seen departing for their places of assignment in the local government areas.

Resident Electoral Commissioner for Benue, Nasiru Ayilara, told Daily Trust that the military personnel also accompanied electoral materials to the various local governments for the elections.

In Plateau State, stringent security measures will be put in place as part of steps to ensure a hitch free election today, Commander of the Special Task Force (STF) Brigadier General Hassan Umaru has said. He spoke at the STF headquarters in Jos, saying there would be restriction of movement from midnight.

“I wish to assure members of the public that the Special Task Force has taken necessary measures to guarantee their security at the polls. To ensure this end, you will witness even more stringent security measures than those of the last two exercises”, he said.

He added, “On no condition must anybody, except members of the security agencies, approach any polling centre with any form of weapon. Additionally, any unauthorised gathering capable of causing disharmony during and after the elections will not be tolerated”.

Plateau state governor Jonah Jang also directed security personnel to escort members of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) to and from their places of duty on Election Day.

He said the state government is also warning individuals and groups that plan to either disrupt the peace of the state or interfere with the electoral process that the full weight of the law will be brought to bear on them.

Ahead of today’s House of Assembly elections in Kogi State, the state police command has warned the politicians and members of the public against acts capable of disrupting the electoral process.

The state’s Commissioner of Police, Mr. Fatai Adio Shittu, who spoke yesterday in Lokoja at an inter-security agencies’ meeting, said indiscipline would not be tolerated.

He specifically warned against violation of the order on movement restriction during the election period, saying that anyone caught violating it would face the wrath of the law, no matter how highly placed.