Austin Pade, Yenagoa
No fewer than 4000 anti-riot policemen have been deployed to Bayelsa State to maintain peace and ensure that the rescheduled presidential and National Assembly elections are hitch free on Saturday..
The Commissioner of Police, Bayelsa State command, Aminu Saleh made the disclosure while speaking with journalists in Yenagoa.
The State Police Boss reiterated that the police were fully ready for the elections and warned troublemakers to stay away from the process.
He said the police in partnership with other security agencies played crucial roles in the distribution of electoral materials.
The Police Commissioner, pointed that the waterways and creeks would also be secured, stressing that the command had enough marine equipment, gunboats and marine policemen to ensure hitch-free elections.
Saleh, noted that the policemen have been trained, even as he pointed that they would be professional and adhere strictly to the rules of engagements throughout the process to ensure the electorates cast their votes without intimidation.
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He said: “We are fully ready for the elections with deployment and everything. We have been involved in the escort of necessary materials. We are working closely with other security agencies to do that.
“We will soon commence deployment to the polling units. Some of them had been deployed within the areas of their operation. We have over 4000 policemen for this exercise. We also have adequate marine equipment and personnel to secure the waterways.
“We further have adequate gunboats. The policemen should discharge their duties by the rules. We have been trained on electoral law and they know what to do during the electoral process. We are adequately aware and informed.
“We expect that no thugs should come near to snatch any ballot box. We are working very hard in partnership with other security agencies, parties and their candidates, in fact, everybody in Bayelsa to ensure that the exercise is peaceful.
To this end, he urged parents to also educate their wards that are eligible to vote, to shun those who would want to induced them to use them to foment trouble, but to strictly advise them to go to their various polling unit, cast their votes and return home to wait for the results.