The Deputy Inspector General of Police, DIG Johnson Kokumo, in charge of South-West zone, says the Nigeria Police Force is adequately prepared for the 2023 general elections, starting on Saturday.
Kokumo spoke in Ibadan on Thursday while addressing officers and men of the Oyo State Police Command on the force’s expectations from its personnel during the 2023 general elections.
He said that IGP Usman Baba had made adequate deployment of police personnel on the land, waterways and air in order to have free, fair and credible elections.
“Nigeria Police Airway is working in synergy with the Nigeria Air Force; our officers have also been deployed to waterways to take charge of riverine communities, using the Marine Wing of the Nigeria Police, working in synergy with the Nigeria Navy.
“We are adequately prepared and good to go for the 2023 general elections,” Kokumo said.
He called on Nigerians to go about the electoral process in a peaceful manner, urging them to troop out en mass to exercise their franchise without any fear of molestation.
Kokumo further said that the police, in synergy with other sister security agencies are seriously working to ensure that the election was devoid of violence and crisis free.
The DIG said that the police was well prepared to provide adequate security for lives and property of the citizens before, during and after the 2023 general elections.
He called on the police personnel to continue to play their leading role in internal security.
Kokumo encouraged them not to relinquish their leadership role, advising them to synergise with other security agencies and seek cooperation with the public.
He further called on the police not to abuse the rights of the citizens, not to take firearms close to the voting centres and use minimum force where applicable.
Kokumo urged the officers to provide security for the staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), ad hoc staff, election materials and lives and property of the public.
Ealier, the state Commissioner of Police, Adebowale Williams, said he had shared the threat analyses in each of the Senatorial Districts with the officers deployed to cover the election and what they had put in place to checkmate them.
Williams said that other formations had also been given to the concern officers, stressing that they were ready for the election.
