Nigeria police on Monday confirmed the deployment of 30,000 personnel in Ekiti state that will ensure the security of lives and properties during the forthcoming election.
According to the force Spokeperson, Jimoh Moshood, who spoke at Channels Television Breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily, the security of lives was the reason for deploying 30,000 police officers in the state.
His words, “Ekiti is a flashpoint when it comes to politicking, you can remember what happened in the second republic, we don’t want a repeat of that. When the election is free and fair and election result is being announced, you still see people that want to disrupt the peace of other Nigerians.
“There is no over deployment in 30,000 police personnel, it is an adequate figure to ensure that everybody that has one business or the other that is authorised to play their role during the election.
“It is not only peculiar to Ekiti, in Edo, we deployed 25,000 police personnel. In Ondo, we deployed 26,000 and in Anambra, the same 26,000. We have carried out a threat analysis assessment throughout Ekiti State and we have confidence in our personnel to deliver appropriately.
“The utterance of stakeholders and leaders in Ekiti and other areas have been inciting and instigating. We want people to have the confidence that the police is capable of securing them, and for them to be free to come out and vote. We want the will of the people to carry the day.
Among those who were deployed include personnel of the Police Mobile Force (PMF) Unit, Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), Special Protection Unit (SPU), Anti-Bomb Squad (EOD), Conventional Policemen, Armament Unit, FCIID, and the sniffer dogs section.
Two Patrol Surveillance Helicopters, five additional Armoured Personnel Carriers, 10 Armoured Personnel Vehicles and 250 Police patrol vehicles are also deployed throughout the state, including difficult terrains.
