The commissioner of Police in Ebonyi State, Mr. Maigari Dikko, has raised the alarm over plots by some politicians to disrupt today’s governorship and state assembly elections in the state.
Accordingly, the command would be deploying over 4,500 police officers to provide security across the state during the polls.
The state commissioner of police CP Maigari Dikko, made the disclosure in Abakaliki, the state capital yesterday while briefing news men on the level of preparedness of the command towards ensuring hitch-free polls.
“Intelligence report at the disposal of the police command also indicates that politicians are procuring the services of all shades of characters to disrupt the forthcoming elections and assist them achieve their political ambitions,” Dikko said.
The CP added: “The result of these self help efforts has in recent times led to some incidents of grievous harm, arson, as well as willful and malicious damage to properties of innocent citizens and perceived political opponents who are all Ebonyians.”
He said that “necessary arrangements have been put in place, in terms of logistics/equipment and materials distributed to their designated areas.
“The State Police Command, in conjunction with other security agencies, has taken into consideration issues of security concerns that arose during the last presidential/National Assembly election, as well as the concerns of the political parties and their candidates, and has put measures and strategies in place to address such complaints.”
Dikko said that security operatives drawn from the Nigerian Army and other para-military forces had been evenly redeployed to all nooks and crannies of the three senatorial zones in the state.
He appealed to the political class for restraint and caution, particularly with regards to public utterances and statements in both the print and electronic media, which he said could have far reaching negative impact on the relative peace being enjoyed in the state.
“Abide by the peace accord signed by the candidates of political parties in the course of the electioneering period at both the national and state levels,” he maintained.
On the restriction of movements during the election, the police boss said that joint patrol teams comprising the police, the army , the Directorate of Security Services (DSS) and the National Security and Civil Defense Corps (NSCDC) will be prowling every nook and cranny of the state to enforce the no-movement-of-vehicles order.