The Gombe State police command has assured officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), voters and stakeholders of adequate security during Saturday’s Gombe/Kwami/Funakaye Federal Constituency by-election.

The command’s spokesperson, DSP Buhari Abdullahi, gave the assurance in a statement on Friday in Gombe.

 Mr Abdullahi said the police, in collaboration with the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), had made comprehensive security arrangements.

He stated the arrangements were designed to ensure peaceful, credible and violence-free conduct of the election.

“The Commissioner of Police, Gombe State Command, Umar Chuso, has ordered adequate deployment of personnel and operational assets,” he said.

According to him, officers will be deployed to INEC offices, collation centres, polling units and other strategic locations across the affected LGAs.

He noted that the deployment, conducted alongside other security agencies, would provide comprehensive security coverage before, during and after the election.

Mr Abdullahi said movement and commercial activities would be restricted in Gombe, Kwami and Funakaye LGAs from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday.

He added that only persons performing essential duties would be exempted from the restriction during the period.

Mr Abdullahi cautioned that essential service officials must not use sirens, unregistered vehicles or vehicles with covered number plates.

He also said only statutory security agencies under ICCES were authorised to provide security coverage during the election.

 The spokesperson said state-owned security outfits, quasi-security organisations, private security guards and vigilance groups were excluded from the exercise.

He cautioned residents against circulating fake news, political thuggery, brandishing weapons and other acts capable of disrupting public peace.

Mr Abdullahi urged parents and guardians to caution their wards against actions capable of undermining the peaceful conduct of the election.

 “Any person found engaging in such act capable of undermining the peaceful conduct of the election will be arrested and prosecuted accordingly,” he noted. (NAN)