Joy Anyim
Ahead of the forth-coming general elections, the Lagos State Police Command, haS ordered its personnel in the state to use proportional and appropriate force to arrest anyone found with firearms.
Stating this was the Commissioner of Police, CP Imohimi Edgal, during a meeting of the Inter-agency Consultative Forum on the elections.
At the meeting, which was well attended by heads of all security agencies in the state and the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC), CP Edgal called on Lagosians to desist from engaging in any act that may amount to disrupting a peaceful electoral process.
In his warning, CP Edgal said the Command had put in place security measures to ensure a peaceful process before, during and after the elections.
His words, “ We have learnt from what happened the other time during a rally and henceforth anybody going into any political rally will be thoroughly searched.
“ I have ordered my Area Commanders and Divisional Police Officers in the state that henceforth anybody found with firearms in any political gathering, neighbourhood or public place with the intent to either kill, maim or disrupt the electoral process, my men should use proportional and appropriate force which will include the use of fire arms to ensure that such a person is arrested, demobilised and the fire arms seized.
“So everybody should go back, pull the eyes of their youngsters, wards tell them not to be used by anybody or politician for thuggery because the consequences will be very dare.
“We have covered the basics, we have made proper arrangements for security not only in the entire state but to cover all the areas where voting will take place we expect Lagisisna to corporate with us to make the process free and fair elections.
“We have strategised on what we need to do during before and after the elections. We have updated the list of our flashpoints and where we need to deploy more manpower, resources and assets.”
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He also revealed that the police had got feelers that some criminally-minded persons, who had sewn police and military uniforms were about to infiltrate the state.
CP Edgal advised the suspects to jettison the idea as they would be arrested.
“Lagosians should be very vigilant more than ever before to share intelligence. There are fillers we are still trying to substantiate.
“The feelers have shown that some persons who have sown police and military uniforms in another area are coming to Lagos. “Whoever is contemplating such should jettison it. We have put it in place measure to ensure they are arrested and persecuted.”
On how the Command hopes to tackle security in the riverine areas, CP Edgal said the Marine Police, the Navy and locals would be drafted into a security plan.
He continued, “ We will strengthen security in all water ways in riverine community in partnership with the local fisherman hunters for their respective communities and the navy with their gun boats. It is also been replicated on land.”
The state’s police boss also revealed that over 1,000 PVCs had been retrieved from foreigners by men of the Nigerian Immigration Service (NIS).
The Resident Electoral Commissioner in the state, Samuel Olumekun, appreciated security agencies for been proactive.
On how the agency was preparing for a free and fair elections, the REC said, “ Tomorrow we will start training the ad-hoc staff. I assure Lagosians we are going to ensure and be ready to conduct a seamless election.