The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Maurice Iwu, on Wednesday, raised the alarm that three truck-load of election materials had been hijacked by armed robbers.
Iwu, who spoke at a meeting with the Inspector-General of Police, Mr. Sunday Ehindero, on how the police could provide security during the governorship election did not give details.
He, however, assured the nation that the theft would not affect the conduct of the election.
Iwu said it was the responsibility of the police to make sure that the elections were free and fair.
He added that without adequate security, all the preparations the commission had put in place would amount to nothing.
He said INEC needed the assistance of the police to enable it to move its equipment, materials and also provide security for its staff.
He said that election materials had already been moved to locations for the governorship and state House of Assembly election holding on Saturday.
He warned that the commission would not hesitate to cancel elections in states where violence occurred.
Iwu said, �Anywhere there is electoral violence, we will not blink in canceling that election. We believe that election did not hold in such places at all.�
Asked about the position of the commission on the dismissal of Senator Ifeanyi Araraume from the Peoples Democratic Party, Iwu said he would not dabble in what he called �intra-party squabbles.�
He added, �Our mandate is to conduct elections and we have concluded election process.�
Ehindero said that he had also received security reports that some politicians were already in possession of fake police uniforms.
He said the politicians gave the fake uniforms to their supporters in order to intimidate the opposition to keep them from the polling booths.
The IG, however, said he had detected means of identifying original policemen from fake.
He refused to state how he would detect fake uniforms for �security reasons.�
He said, �There is information that some groups are sewing fake police uniforms in order to confuse the public. I have called my men�s attention to that. Well, I wish to tell those in that category to desist from doing that because the full weight of the law will be unleashed on them.
�Anyway, the force will design means to make it possible for us to identify fake policemen from the original. I can tell you authoritatively that we have measures in place to identify our own policemen.�
He also hinted that there could be fake vehicle number plates, bearing police identity.
The police boss assured the nation that the police were ready to provide security in all the polling booths during and after the election.
The IG said the police were battle-ready for the elections and would arrest trouble-makers.
Ehindero said, �We are prepared to arrest thugs in all the states of the federation if that will guarantee free and fair elections. The police will not be partisan but we are ready to arrest any person who wants to disrupt the election.
�We will provide security in all the polling stations. We will prevent activities that will affect the elections negatively and we have mandated our officers to liaise with the INEC commissioners to provide security for election materials.�
The police boss warned religious fanatics to keep away from polling booths.
He said, �Police officers must be at the polling stations at 8am when presiding officers shall declare the polling stations open and at 3pm when voting closes officially. Any person that comes to the polling stations after 3pm shall not be allowed to vote.�
He debunked the insinuations in some quarters that the recent reshuffling of commissioners by the force was aimed at rigging the elections.
The IG said the postings were aimed at ensuring that elections were free and fair and devoid of violence.
He charged his officers to be proactive in handling elections and report any untoward activities in their areas of posting promptly.
For the elections, Ehindero said the police would make use of five helicopters, 1,800 motorcycles and 800 four wheel drive vehicles.