Joy Anyim
As part of security measures to curb violence during the Saturday March 9, 2019, Governorship and State House of Assembly elections in Lagos, the Commissioner of Police in charge of the state have revealed that armed security men will be posted closer to polling units.
CP Zubairu Muazu who stated this while briefing journalists on Wednesday, said the decision was reached to ensure the violence that characterised the Presidential and National Assembly elections in the state does not repeat itself.
While admonishing electorates not to be afraid but go out and cast their votes for candidates of their choice, Muazu said the presence of the armed personnel is in the best interest of the electorate.
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He said the armed personnel will be drafted to swiftly attend to any security breach that may come up during the election on Saturday. “ Areas where we had incidence of violence in the presidential and National Assembly election, we are going to have adequate protections in those flash points. We are going to have more patrols in that area and we are going to have armed security personnel closer to the polling units this time.
“Although the electoral law does not allow us to post armed security men at the polling units, this time around, we will try as much as possible to have them at the closest distance to the polling units so that they can move quickly to ensure no election process anywhere is disrupted.
“ We know If we are too close it may suggest intimidation, so, we will be at a safe distance and those flashpoints we have identified will be properly manned.”
On how the command will handle riverine communities, Muazu said men from the Marine Police and the Nigerian Navy will ensure prospective electoral offender do not untilize the route saying, “ gun boats from the Nigerian Navy and other equipment have been drafted to ensure safety in such areas.”
Muazu also called on Lagosians to deist from peddling fake and unverified news, especially on social media. He warned that the command will not hesitate to prosecute persons found culpable in this regard.
“ Let me also use this medium to warn people who sit in the comfort of their homes or offices and generate fake news which they circulate on the social media deliberately to fan the ember of hate among the various peace loving entities in Lagos State. They should desist from this act or be ready to face the full wrath of the law,” he warned.
