The police in Lagos on Friday deployed 20, 000 men for election duty in the state, just as it issued a special identity cards for them.
Saturday Punch gathered that the policemen are to report for duty by 6: 00 am and will not be discharged until the elections are concluded.
Contrary to INEC�s directives that restriction of movement should end by 3: 00 pm, the police said restriction of vehicular movements would stop in Lagos by 4: 00 pm.
It was also learnt that some major flash points have been identified in Lagos and, subsequently, have major police and other security personnel�s presence.
Lagos State police spokesman Olubode Ojajuni (SP), said all the measures adopted by the police was meant to ensure violent free elections.
Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission has approved 9, 613 polling units in Lagos State for today�s governorship and house of assembly elections.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner for the state, Mr. Moses Ogbe, told newsmen on Friday that 8, 465 out of the figure were regular polling units; while 1, 148 will serve as satellite polling units. He explained that any polling unit that has more than 1, 000 prospective voters will get a satellite polling unit to cater for the excess.
He also said that over four million Lagosians that took part in the last voter registration were expected to vote.
While describing the spate of violence in the build-up to the elections as worrisome, Ogbe vowed that he would not hesitate to withdraw the commission�s permanent and ad hoc staff from any area where violence is recorded during the exercise.
He, therefore, warned candidates, party leaders and their supporters to conduct themselves in orderly manner under the ambit of the law.
He added that voting and accreditation would hold simultaneously between 8am and 3pm.
The state INEC boss said that voters were also expected to leave the polling units immediately after casting their votes to avoid congesting the stations.
He assured Lagosians that the commission had concluded all arrangements to ensure a hitch-free exercise.
In case of any hiccups, Ogbe said he could be reached on the following telephone numbers: 08036400868, 08037737468, 08072079155, 08072649557 and 08085817841.
Our correspondent who visited the INEC secretariat on Friday saw officials moving electoral materials to the local government secretariats.
Local and international observers as well as journalists were also seen being accredited. Secuirty was beefed up in the secretariats as regular and riot policemen were seen moving around in groups.