The Nigeria Police Force has deployed top human and machine assets for the June 18 governorship election in Ekiti State.

The police inspector general, Usman Baba, in a statement on Sunday by Force Spokeman Olumuyiwa Adejobi, listed some of the assets deployed to include four helicopters, five Armored Personnel Carriers (APCs) and four Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs).

The police personnel, comprising conventional police officers, Police Mobile Force, PMF, Counter Terrorism Unit, CTU, Special Forces personnel, Explosives Ordinance Unit, EOD, Force Intelligence Bureau, FIB, INTERPOL, Special Protection Unit, SPU, Force Public Relations Department, FPRD, as well as Police Medical Teams, would also be on ground in Ekiti to guarantee free, fair, and credible election, Mr Adejobi said.

Deputy Inspector General of Police, Babatunde Kokumo, in-charge of the Force Criminal Investigation Department, FCID, and supervising the South-West zone will lead the election operations.

He would be assisted by four Assistant Inspectors-General of Police, three Commissioners of Police, five Deputy Commissioners of Police, and eighteen Assistant Commissioners of Police.

“The Senior Officers are to coordinate human and other operational deployments in the three (3) Senatorial Districts, sixteen (16) Local Government Areas and the 2445 polling units in Ekiti State,” the police spokesman said. 

While assuring the nation, particularly the international community of a credible election, the police chief said the force is adequately prepared for the Ekiti governorship election.

He reiterated that the Force will do everything within its powers to work with the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, and all stakeholders to protect democratic values, provide level playing field for all political actors, ensure adequate protection of voters, INEC officials, equipment, accredited observers, both domestic and international, and other key players in Ekiti State. 

The statement, however, advised the electorates in Ekiti State to be law-abiding and comply with the restriction of movement order which will be announced by the Commissioner of Police as and when due. 

It added that, “The IGP equally calls on the Good people of Ekiti State to come out en masse and exercise their franchise as adequate security has been emplaced by the Police and other security agencies to protect them before, during and after the election.” 

Sixteen political parties, cleared by INEC have already fielded candidates for the Saturday election.