In a bid to have free, fair and credible bye elections into the Lagos East Senatorial and Kosofe 11 Constituency, Lagos State House of Assembly seats, the Lagos State Police Command has declared restriction of movement between 6am and 6pm on Saturday, December 5, 2020.
The Commissioner of Police Lagos State, CP Hakeem Odumosu made the declaration on Thursday, December 3, while deliberating on the strategies put in place.
Disclosing this in a statement, the police spokesman in the state, SP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, also said that election monitoring officers had been deployed from the Force Headquarters, Abuja, to assist and monitor the elections in Lagos State.
The election monitoring team, comprising two Commissioners of Police, some Assistant Commissioners of Police and other officers, led by the Commissioner of Police, Community Policing, Force Headquarters, CP Kola Okunola, was said to have reported to the state police command, in preparation for the deployment and monitoring of police personnel and other security agents detailed for the election duties.
The PPRO stated that the Command had deployed a reasonable number of police personnel and other security agents to cover and provide security at 1,928 polling units in the areas.
“The Commissioner of Police has reiterated that there won’t be both vehicular and pedestrian movement in and out of the affected the Local Government Areas during the elections, except those on election duties, essential services and accredited domestic and foreign election observers.
“The affected Local Government Areas for the two legislative seats include Epe, Ibeju Lekki, Kosofe, Somolu and Ikorodu,” Adejobi said.
He added that the police commissioner warned the electorate and political gladiators to play the game according to the rules and provisions of the Electoral Acts 2010.
“He also warned that no police aides or security agents will be allowed to escort their principals or any Very Important Personalities (VIPs) to polling units or on any movement while the elections lasted, saying that any security aides violating this directive will be arrested and made to face the full weight of the law,” the PPRO stated further.
He said that Odumosu assured the general public of adequate safety and smooth conduct of the elections in the affected areas.
He also reaffirmed the commitment of the police to achieving free, fair, credible and acceptable elections in the affected Local Government Areas in Lagos State.
