34,587 Police Officers deployed to Anambra for election

Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba, has announced that 34,587 Police personnel have been deployed to keep the peace in Anambra, before, during and after the election in the southeastern State.

Baba however adds that the massive deployment of security for the Saturday governorship election is not to intimidate law-abiding citizens, but to reassure the people of adequate protection during the vote.

“Aside the optimal deployment of our intelligence assets to proactively frustrate any threat to the elections, we have also deployed a total of 34,587 Police personnel for purpose of protecting the personnel and assets of INEC, the electorates and residents of Anambra State during the exercise," the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) quotes the police boss as saying.

“This figure will be complemented by the Military and other security and intelligence agencies.

“Our election security is designed such that all the three senatorial districts, 21 Local Government Areas, 326 Wards and 5,720 Polling Units across the State will witness adequate security coverage,” Baba adds.

He says the massive deployment is to also serve as a strong warning that government is determined to bring actors intent on undermining the democratic process, to justice.

“The overriding objective of our operational action plan is to ensure an environment that is peaceful enough to encourage the law abiding people of Anambra State to exercise their electoral franchise.

“The message here is clear. For the political actors and electorates that are law abiding, they are fully assured of optimal security.

“However, for the destabilising elements and other deviants who despite all wise counsels are determined to deploy violence and other illegal means to advance their political interests or constitute a clog in the wheel of peaceful atmosphere for the election, they should be prepared for the consequences of their actions as they will be identified, isolated and decisively dealt with, irrespective of their status, ideological inclinations or political affiliation,” Baba says.

He adds that: "I also wish to assure that the personnel of the Nigeria Police, as the lead agency in election security management, shall remain impartial, firm, accountable and professional in the exercise of their statutory duties as provided for in the Electoral Act and other enabling laws.”

18 governorship candidates are jostling to succeed Willie Obiano as Anambra Governor on November 6, 2021.

The build-up to the election has been marred by secessionist-tinged violence on an unprecedented scale.

Some candidates resorted to campaigning outside of Anambra as violence and separatist agitations continue to engulf the southeastern region.

Prof Chukwuma Soludo of APGA, Andy Ubah of the APC and Valentine Ozigbo of the PDP are some of the frontline candidates ahead of the election.

All candidates signed a peace accord in Awka, the Anambra State capital, on Thursday, November 4, 2021.