Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has said at least 69,282 personnel would be deployed to provide security during governorship elections in Bayelsa and Kogi States.

Inspector General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, has said at least 69,282 personnel would be deployed to provide security during governorship elections in Bayelsa and Kogi States.

He was reacting to the fear expressed by the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu at the meeting of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security organised by the commission in Abuja that thugs have been mobilised to cause violence during the elections.

However, the IGP assured that the Nigeria Police Force was prepared to provide adequate security during the election process.

Speaking with reporters on Friday in Abuja, the IGP said: “The police as the lead agency for internal security is ready for the election in Bayelsa and Kogi States. We are aware of the security challenges in the two states and we have made adequate provisions in terms of personnel and logistics to tackle any security challenge we might face.

“In Bayelsa, we are deploying 31,041 personnel to cover the election; in Kogi, we are deploying 35,200 personnel. This personnel is to cover every terrain in both states, no tout will be allowed in to disrupt the election, all those areas will be manned.”

Adamu said that the security of INEC officials and materials was guaranteed while the INEC state offices would be protected.

According to him, ward collation centres and polling units would be adequately protected as well as the offices of the Central Bank of Nigeria where the materials would be kept.