As Ondo State gears up for its gubernatorial election on November 16, 2024, the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has announced that local security groups, including state-backed forces like the Amotekun Corps, will not be allowed to participate in election security.
This decision underscores the Nigeria Police Force’s commitment to a peaceful and transparent voting process.
In a statement released on Sunday, November 10, by Force Public Relations Officer ACP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the IGP assured the public that the police are fully prepared to safeguard the election process across Ondo’s 18 Local Government Areas, 203 Wards, and 3,933 Polling Units.
According to the statement, the IGP has initiated comprehensive plans, involving the deployment of both personnel and advanced resources to ensure a secure election. Specialized police units such as the Special Intervention Squad, Police Mobile Force (PMF), Counter-Terrorism Unit (CTU), Special Protection Unit (SPU), Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit, K-9 Unit, as well as the Federal Investigation and Intelligence Response Team (FID-IRT) and Federal Intelligence and Security Task Force (FID-STS) will be on the ground to maintain law and order. These units will work closely with other federal security agencies, ensuring strict adherence to the Electoral Act, 2022.
The security strategy includes aerial patrols using police helicopters and gunboat surveillance along Ondo’s waterways, emphasizing the commitment to ensuring the safety of both land and riverine areas during the election period.
Highlighting the decision to exclude local security groups, the IGP noted that election security will be managed exclusively by the Nigeria Police Force and authorized federal agencies within the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES). He reinforced that these measures aim to preserve the integrity of the voting process by adhering strictly to federal security standards and electoral laws.
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“The Nigeria Police Force, in collaboration with other federal security agencies, remains committed, vigilant, and fully prepared to ensure that the Ondo State Gubernatorial Election proceeds smoothly, without incident, and in accordance with the highest standards of electoral integrity,” the statement concluded.
