‘Security personnel must stay clear of election materials,’ Police Commissioner warns

dimeji akinloye

March 26, 2015 11:01 PM

The commissioner said any security officer seen at election centres without INEC tags should be arrested and taken to the Police Headquarters.

Inspector General of Police, Ibrahim Idris

Kano state and the commissioner of police and the Chairman of the Security Consultative Forum in the state, Ibrahim Idris, has warned all security personnel of military, police, DSS, and para military officials deployed to man election centres across Kano against interfering with election materials and other elections issues apart from security.

Ibrahim spoke to a parade of officers to be deployed to various polling units across the state, noting that anyone found with election materials by way of counting, holding ballot boxes, or snatching election materials and other duties directly for the INEC officials will find himself blamed.

He also said any supposed security officer seen at election centres without INEC tags should be arrested and brought to the Police Headquarters.

“All the agencies involved in these elections have a responsibility to secure election materials and protect INEC officials,” he said. “Under no circumstances, should police or any other security official handle ballot boxes, papers or any sensitive materials or even counting ballot papers,” the police commissioner asserted.

Ibrahim however assured that heavy security presence will be at pooling units as at 5am to after the elections and materials are taking away.

dimeji akinloye