The police command in Kogi says it plans to deploy over 40,000 policemen across the state to ensure the peaceful conduct of the November 11 governorship election.

The state Commissioner of Police (CP), Bethrand Onuoha, stated this in a telephone interview with journalists in Lokoja on Monday.

Mr Onuoha said that the planned deployment of a large number of personnel was due to past experiences in the state.

“As it is, we have marked out some security flash points for more vigilance, even though recent happenings have signalled to us that the whole Kogi is a flashpoint.

“From the number of security personnel we are deploying for this election, it’s enough testimony to tell you that the state needs more security checks.

“With the presence of adequate security personnel in Kogi, we are calling on everybody to come out and exercise his or her civic right in this forthcoming November 11 governorship election.

“We are going to flood the state with enough security personnel, and by the special grace of God, with our actions and sanctions, we are going to confound our detractors,” he said.

Mr Onuoha added, “God is telling me that this election is going to be better than all the elections ever held here in Kogi.

“We have directed our personnel to be fair to everybody because we come here to serve the people and not any particular individual.”

The CP urged politicians to play according to the rules of the game, saying that elections would come and go while the people would remain.

“We expect that they should adopt politics without bitterness. Your brother is your brother, no matter where he belongs politically,” he said.

(NAN)