17,500 police personnel deployed for Rivers LG poll

Police authorities have deployed no fewer than 17,500 officers to provide security before, during, and after the local government election in Rivers state billed for Saturday

The Police Public Relations Officer in the state, Nnamdi Omoni, informed that the personnel would be supported by operatives to be deployed by other security agencies.

Omoni added that the Commissioner of Police in Rivers, Eboka Friday, who is also the Chairman of Inter-Agency Consultative Forum on Election Security for the poll, has barred highly placed individuals, including politicians from going to the polling stations with their security aides.

He declared that the police would block all entry and exit points of Rivers and prevent movement of persons on both land and waterways within the state from Friday midnight till after the election.

The force spokesperson urged the people of the state to cooperate with the police who have a duty to provide a conducive environment for everyone to exercise their right to vote and be voted for in a free, fair, and transparent manner.

On Saturday, the people of Rivers would go to the 4,442 polling units across the 319 wards in the 23 local government areas to elect their chairmen and councillors for the next three years.

Ahead of the poll, the state governor, Nyesom Wike had on Thursday warned residents against disrupting the election in a state-wide broadcast .

He had directed the police authorities to arrest and prosecute anyone caught causing trouble in any part of the state.

The governor said the police and the Rivers State Independent Electoral Commission have been adequately supported by the state government to discharge their duties effectively.

He had also announced the restriction of human and vehicular movement from midnight of Friday till the end of voting at 5pm on Saturday, except persons and vehicles on essential duties with genuine means of identification.

Governor Wike assured the people that the state government was determined to create an enabling environment for all citizens to exercise their voting right.

He advised the leadership of the 17 political parties that would participate in the election to ensure their members were law-abiding.