…VOW TO PROTECT NON-INDIGENES, CORP MEMBERS IN LAGOS, OGUN

By NBF News

The Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIG) in charge of Zone II command, Mr. Suleiman Fakai, has ordered the two commissioners of police (CPs) under his command, Ogun and Lagos States, to personally supervise their men in combing polling stations before the election commences today.

The AIG ordered that all abandoned vehicles and objects near the polling stations and collation centres should be removed.

Speaking with Daily Sun yesterday in his office after meeting with the two CPs, Fakai vowed that the police would make sure that no bomb was planted within polling stations and collation centres.

He ensured that no blood of non-indigenes and National Youth Service Corp members in Lagos and Oguns States would be spilled as the police would do everything possible to protect them.

He said: 'I have ordered the Commissioners of police to give special protection to non-indigenes living in the two states. I have asked them to send special patrols to areas where non indigenes are living. We are also ensuring better protection of NYSC members because they are our children. Our men would escort them to anywhere they are going and ensure their safety.'

The police chief warned the electorate to be vigilant and be wary of any strange objects at polling units where they are voting.

According to him: 'We should also be wary of objects near polling booths. We are using this opportunity to urge people to remove abandoned vehicles near polling units. Bomb can be planted in these objects. I have warned my men to ensure that abandoned vehicles near polling units are swept, especially units where important personalities like governors, past presidents, members of the National Assembly would be voting.

'We have also met with religious and ethnic leaders immediately we heard of the incidents in the North. We talked with the Hausa communities in Agege, Idi Araba, Ijora and many other places,' he said.

He added: 'All the Commissioners of Police, including the Lagos and Ogun States Commands are here. We just finished brainstorming. We have reviewed what happened last time and what is likely to happen this time. In the area where we did well, we shall continue with it; in the area where we noticed lapses, we would improve on it. We also brought our mind to what is happening in the North. We have realised that post-election is now taking a new dimension. We have to be wary of post-election violence. We would put our men in strategic locations to ensure that those people who lose election do not cause problem like what is happening in the North.'

He said other security agencies would be mobilised to ensure optimal performance.

His words: 'We would mobilise our men properly and use other security agencies very well. We are not allowed to carry arms to the polling booths but our armed men would be visible at strategic locations far from the polling units. We don't want people to capitalise on loopholes after election to cause mayhem, that is why top echelons of police in the two states are meeting. With what we have agreed on now, people should expect peaceful elections in Lagos and Ogun States.

'So far, we have not got any criticism from the members of the public, our men have impressed us as far as the past elections are concerned,' Fakai stated.