Ahead of Saturday’s poll, the inspector general of police Usman Alkali Baba has deployed additional personnel, protective gadgets and some anti-riot equipment with an armoured personnel carrier to Gombe.

This is contained in a statement by the spokesman for the police command in Gombe, Mahid Abubakar.

According to the statement, the police commissioner, Oqua Etim, said the deployment by the IGP would boost the strength of the command and improve the operational and conventional outfits of the personnel in the state.

It added that the personnel deployed to Gombe were drawn from the Police Mobile Force, Police Special Forces, IGP Election Monitoring team and other tactical teams.

The personnel are to assist the command in adequately securing the state and checkmating political thuggery and other related electoral offences.

The commissioner said he had directed the deployment of the tactical squads and distribution of acquired gadgets to area commands and divisional police headquarters for effective utilisation.

Mr Etim commended the officers’ efforts to ensure the peaceful conduct of the presidential elections, urging them to replicate the feat during Saturday’s poll.

He further tasked command personnel to remain neutral and apolitical in the electoral process while exhibiting high alertness and professionalism.

Mr Etim warned troublemakers to avoid any activities capable of breaching peace during the polls because ”the command, in collaboration with other security agencies, will adequately respond to any security threats in the state.”

(NAN)