With the presidential and national assembly elections to hold on Saturday, February 25, 2023 across the nation, the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, has ordered a restriction of all forms of vehicular movement on roads, waterways and other forms of transportation, from 12 midnight to 6pm on the election day.
However, those exempted from restriction include those on essential services such as INEC officials, electoral observers, ambulances responding to medical emergencies, firefighters, among others.
In a statement on Wednesday, February 22, 2023, the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, said that the order, which forms part of measures put in place to ensure a safe, secure, and conducive environment for the conduct of elections, is aimed at ensuring public order management, the safety of the electorate, as well as assisting the security agencies in effective policing, thereby preventing hoodlums and criminally-minded elements from disrupting the electoral process.
The FPRO said that the IGP also warned all security aides and escorts to desist from accompanying their principals and politicians to polling booths and collation centres during the election, as anyone found flouting this directive would be severely sanctioned.
“He (the IGP) emphasizes that only security personnel specifically assigned to election duties are to be seen within and around the designated election booths and centres.
“Also, the ban on the unauthorized use of sirens, revolving lights, covered number plates, and tinted glasses is still in force, and violators would be sanctioned appropriately.
“All state-established and owned security outfits/organizations, quasi-security units, and privately-owned guard and security outfits are also barred from participating in election security management,” the statement read.
Empathizing with well-meaning citizens on the inconveniences the restriction might cause, the IGP urged all active electorate to be law-abiding and turn out en masse to exercise their franchise.
He however warned that police would “deal decisively with any individual(s) or group(s) that might want to test our common resolve and might to ensure a peaceful election.”
The IGP enjoined all citizens to shun vote buying, vote selling, hate speech, misinformation, and disinformation, snatching of ballot boxes, and other criminal act(s), as the Force and other security agencies would leave no stone unturned in ensuring that all violators of extant laws, most especially the Electoral Act 2022 (as amended), are brought to book.
The Nigeria Police Force, therefore, urged all members of the public to contact the Nigeria Police Force and the Joint Election Monitoring and Operations Room domiciled at the Force Headquarters, Abuja, via the ‘NPF Rescue Me App’ available on Android and iOS, or via the ‘NPF Rescue Me’ Emergency Toll-free line on 08031230631 to report suspicious persons, activities or request security response.
Also, other joint operations/election situation room numbers would be released by all state police commands respectively for emergency contact.
