Niger Police receive anti-riot equipment ahead Saturday's polls

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The Niger State Police Command, in view of the forthcoming general elections, receives an Anti-Riot Water-Cannon Vehicle from the Force Headquarters, Abuja to boost the capacity of the Command in curtailing any situation of violence before, during and after the general elections in the State.

The State Police Command stated in a statement issued and made available to Journalists on Thursday in Minna by the Police Public Relations Officer of the Command DSP Abiodun Wasiu that similarly, the Inspector General of Police, IGP Usman Alkali Baba, has deployed AIG Election Niger State, AIG Isaac O. Akinmoyede, from Zone 9 Headquarters Umuahia, Abia to oversee and supervise security arrangements for the election in the State.

Furthermore, the statement added that three other senior police officers have been deployed to supervise security arrangements in the three senatorial districts, which are; CP Stephen Olanrewaju to Niger East, DCP Aina Emmanuel to Niger South and DCP Barayilmil A. Samaila to Niger North senatorial district respectively.

According to Abiodun, “As part of the preparation for the general elections, the Commissioner of Police, Niger State Command CP Ogundele J. Ayodeji, had earlier convened inter-agency consultative committee meeting on election security with heads of other security agencies in the state, through which the Police and other agencies mobilised manpower, logistics and equipment as election security committee for adequate deployment of security personnel for election duties, having undergone series of training and retraining on standard operational guidelines, peace and conflict resolution at polling units, human rights policing among others”.

The statement stressed that personnel will be deployed to escort sensitive and non-sensitive materials to various LGAs and Wards, just as “The Police and other security personnel will equally cover polling units/IDPs voting centers across the state, and other layers of deployments for visibility policing and confidence-building patrol of every nooks and crannies of the state”.

Consequently, The Command hereby admonishes parents/guardians to warn their wards not to engage in any form of violence, political thuggery, or attempt to snatch ballot boxes, saying, “the Command is battle ready for any miscreant who may want to foment trouble before, during and after the election”.

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“Nigerlites and members of the public are enjoined to exercise their franchise peacefully and return home, as the Command has put necessary security arrangements in place for a peaceful and credible general election in Niger State.

“Members of the public are hereby advised to contact the following phone numbers in case of any complaint or observation that may require intervention: