The Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, yesterday said the policemen alleged to have interrupted the Saturday’s governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa States were not the genuine personnel deployed for election duties.

Adamu, who said this at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, while briefing journalists after a meeting of service chiefs with President Muhammadu Buhari, stressed that all security personnel for the two elections had “special identification tags”.

He said 11 individuals had been arrested in connection with the attacks that took place during the polls, while a probe of the incidents was still ongoing.

He also said the helicopter sighted dropping teargas in Kogi during the election was deployed for crimes prevention purpose.

He said the helicopter which was on patrol had to intervene to stop those fighting and snatching ballot boxes.

He said the police prepared “heavily” for the elections in both states because the outcome of its threats assessment had revealed that there would be violence in the two States.

“During the elections, anybody you saw either in police uniform or military uniform that does not carry the tag that has been given for the election, that person is not genuine police officer or military officer or that he was not on official duty.

“Because, we were aware of the fact that or we were told that some politicians were going to sew police and military uniforms, so, we device some other means of identifying those that were on elections duty. We have to give them tags.

“We recruited and trained them before the elections to play by the rule, be professional, work within where you are posted and not beyond.”

On the controversy trailing the recruitment of 10,000 constables, the IGP said the recruits were already undergoing the training before the Police Service Commission sued the Force.

(Daily Trust)

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