Controversy on Thursday trailed the announcement by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Kayode Aderanti, and leaders of other sister forces of different periods for the restriction of movement during Saturday’s polls from what was earlier announced by the Inspector General of Police, Suleiman Abba.
Aderaanti said restriction of movement in the state will be from 6am to 6pm.
However, Abba had on Wednesday put the period of restriction for the election as 8am to 5pm.
Despite the controversy, Aderanti disclosed that the police, the Nigerian Army, the Department of State Services, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Nigeria Immigration Service and others have teamed up to ensure that the polls on Saturday and April 11 were violence and hitch free.
The joint security agencies said together they were able to raise 36,204 personnel, drawn from all the forces in Nigeria, to man the election.
In announcing the extension of restriction in Lagos State, Aderanti said: “Parents are warned to speak to their kids and wards who would to be used to perpetrate violence.
“We’re ready to arrest such persons. 6am- 6pm is the restriction time for movement.
“There’ll be total lock down.
“Try and complete your movement before 6am.
“We however reassure those who are essential workers, that their security would be guaranteed.”
Revealing other measures on ground, Aderanti said 500 patrol vehicles, 100 buses, 100 motorcycles, seven trucks, three Black Maria trucks, one luxury bus, three Armoured Personnel Carriers (one in each senatorial zone), five gun boats to man the waters, two helicopters for aerial surveillance and patrol, have been deployed for the election.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner in Lagos State, Akin Orebiyii, said speed and commercial boats and canoes are ready to take voting material to those living in the waterway areas.
Responding to a question on rivalry among sister forces likely to affect effective usage of manpower to check violence, the Lagos State Director of the DSS, Ben Ocher, said: “We that are here, will talk to our foot soldiers. If we do it right here, they won’t deviate. There’ll be a neat working conduct, which would cut across board.”
Brigadier General A.M, Sabo, the Commander 9th Brigade of the Nigerian Army, reacting to question on whether the Army was not flouting a court injunction by planning to take part in the election, said the Army was specifically called for a national assignment and as such would heed the call for the sake of Nigeria.
All the forces’ top officers insisted that Nigerians should go to the polls with optimism, believing that there wouldn’t be bloodbath.
According to them, patriotism should be the watch word of everyone.