Ahead of Saturday’s governorship election in Ekiti State, the Nigeria Police Force has unveiled a comprehensive, multi-layered security architecture for the exercise, deploying four security personnel to each polling unit across the state.

The police also imposed restrictions on vehicular movement during the election period, between 12am and 6pm on Saturday.

The Coordinating Commissioner of Police for the election, CP Abayomi Shogunle, disclosed this on Friday at the Ekiti State Police Command Headquarters in Ado-Ekiti, assuring residents and eligible voters that adequate security measures had been put in place to guarantee a peaceful, credible, and violence-free election.

Shogunle said the security arrangement was built around an operational order approved by the Inspector-General of Police, Tunji Disu, aimed at preventing any breach of peace before, during, and after the poll.

He noted that three of the personnel will be police officers, while the remaining officer will be from other member agencies of the election duty security framework.

According to him, all sensitive and non-sensitive electoral materials have been successfully transported under police escort from the headquarters of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) to the 16 local government areas of the state.

He explained that security personnel had already been stationed at the local government headquarters to guard the materials, while another phase of deployment would see the materials escorted to Registration Area Centres (RACs) and subsequently to polling units under armed protection.

“We have supported INEC in ensuring that all sensitive and non-sensitive materials arrived safely in all the 16 local government areas. Those materials are currently under police protection.

“In the next phase, the materials will be moved under heavily armed police escort from the local government headquarters to the RACs and thereafter to the polling units very early on election day to ensure that voting commences as scheduled,” he said.

The police chief disclosed that every polling unit in the state would be manned by four security personnel drawn from approved agencies participating in election duties.

He clarified that only personnel from recognised security agencies under the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) would take part in the exercise.

According to him, local vigilante groups, Agro Rangers, Amotekun Corps, and other quasi-security outfits would not be involved in election security operations.

“Every polling unit will have four security personnel. Security agencies approved for election duty have been adequately deployed.

“Organisations such as Amotekun, Agro Rangers, vigilante groups, and similar outfits are not part of the election security arrangement. Only agencies recognised under the established election security framework will participate,” he stated.

Shogunle further revealed that heavily armed operatives from the Police Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU) and the Special Intervention Squad (SIS) had been strategically deployed to boundary communities linking Ekiti with Kwara, Kogi, Osun, and Ondo states.

He said the move was informed by threat assessments conducted ahead of the election and was designed to prevent the infiltration of criminal elements into the state.

The commissioner explained that the border security operation commenced several weeks ago through intensive clearance operations in forests and remote locations around the state’s boundaries.

“We identified potential threats around the state’s borders and responded proactively. Personnel from the Counter Terrorism Unit and the Special Intervention Squad have been deployed to those areas.

“As we speak, we can monitor movements into and out of Ekiti through all major routes. We have also established camps within forest corridors to prevent criminal elements from infiltrating the state through unapproved routes,” he said.

Beyond border communities, the police have also established additional layers of security around major towns, cities, collation centres, INEC offices, and facilities housing electoral personnel, including National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members engaged as ad hoc staff.

The commissioner said the strategy was deliberately designed to ensure that if any threat breached one security ring, it would be intercepted at another layer.

He added that the security agencies had strengthened collaboration with traditional rulers, community leaders, religious leaders, civil society organisations, and other stakeholders to enhance intelligence gathering and early warning mechanisms.

“We have partnered with traditional rulers, community leaders, religious leaders and influential citizens across the state. We want residents to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities. If you see something, say something.

“This partnership has significantly improved public confidence in the security architecture for the election,” he said.

Shogunle expressed confidence in the preparedness of security agencies, declaring that all arrangements had been concluded for a peaceful poll.

“If voting were to commence now, we are fully prepared. Everything that needs to be done has been done. Our assessment, which aligns with feedback from civil society organisations, shows a high level of public confidence in security agencies,” he stated.

The commissioner reiterated that officers deployed for the election had undergone specialised training and would operate strictly in accordance with the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and the Electoral Act.

He assured political parties, candidates, and voters that the police would remain neutral throughout the election process.

“The Nigeria Police Force will remain neutral. We have trained our personnel extensively and every action they take will be guided by the Constitution and the Electoral Act,” he said.

While confirming the restriction of vehicular movement during the election, Shogunle clarified that candidates participating in public examinations scheduled for Saturday would not be affected by the directive.

“There is a nationwide examination taking place tomorrow. Candidates writing examinations are exempted from the restriction. They should proceed to their examination centres without fear,” he added.

He also issued a stern warning to individuals or groups planning to disrupt the election, stressing that security agencies would deal decisively with anyone found violating the law.

“Let me encourage all registered voters to come out and vote. Nothing will happen to them. Adequate security has been provided.

“But for those who may want to test our resolve or cause trouble, we will come after them and ensure they face the full weight of the law,” Shogunle warned. (Tribune News)