The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has ordered policemen on electoral duty in Bayelsa State on November 16 to arrest politicians, who would move cash to polling units to buy votes.

Adamu spoke at the State Police Command, Yenagoa, on Thursday, when he led an entourage of senior police officers from the Force Headquarters, Abuja, to sensitise policemen and other stakeholders on the election.

Adamu insisted that vote buying was illegal and those engaging in it should be apprehended to face the wrath of the law.

Addressing the policemen, he said: We are used to elections. We have done a lot of elections and we know the rules and regulation. We want to encourage you to maintain what you have done during the last general elections.

“At the general elections, the police were adjudged the best. Different organisations of international observers came to my office to give us commendations. The feat should be repeated.

You should be neutral and should not allow anybody to entice you with anything that will make you do what you are not supposed to do. It is when you engage in what you are not supposed to do that you enter into problems.

“So, you should try to be professional in your polling units. Make sure you protect all the INEC materials in your polling units. Protect the INEC officials and make sure nobody is molested.

“After the electorate cast their votes, you are supposed to follow the officer to where he would submit his results and ensure that nothing happens to the results.

“At the collation centre, you are supposed to remain there to beef up security and ensure the process is not disrupted. You will remain there until the result is announced.

“In the course of doing your work if you sight anybody trying to use money to influence voters, make sure you act immediately to arrest that person because that is an electoral offence.

“Campaign should not be done on the election day. Before you go on election duty, we will make sure you are adequately taken care of with all your allowances paid. We will send the money to your account.

“That has been done. We did not do it only for the election day, we made it eight days so that even after the election day, you will still be around. We are sending senior officers to make sure if there is any challenge, you will report to them.

“Some commissioners of police will join the police commissioner here. Also, a deputy inspector-general of police will come down. So, you have all arrays of senior officers you can channel your complaints to.” (The Nation)

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