The Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has deployed 28,000 police officers and men to Rivers State to provide security for the December 10 rerun elections.
Idris made this known on Thursday in Port Harcourt while addressing the deployed police personnel and those of the state command.
According to him, logistics arrangements had been concluded.
Idris said that three helicopters would be used for arial surveillance.
One will be for each senatorial district.
He also said that 28 gun boats would be used by the police to patrol waterways in the state in collaboration with Nigerian Navy.
The IGP, who also paid a courtesy call on Governoe Nyesom Wike, said that he was in the state to ensure peaceful elections.
He urged the people of the state to support security agencies to ensure peaceful polls.
In his speech, Wike told the IGP that the withdrawal of his Chief Security Officer had exposed his life to danger.
He said: “The moment you touch my chief security officer, you are telling me that you are ready for me.
“As I sit here, I am empty, I have no protection.
“What you have done is the highest disrespect to the Office of the Governor.”
Wike pleaded with the IGP to return his CSO, saying he would not be able to take anyone else.
He said: “I am pleading with you, my life is very important.
“I will not take any chief security officer you bring to me that I don’t know.
“This is a matter of security and protection, it is not what you do with levity.”
Wike said that Idris did not consult him before redeploying the CSO.
The governor said that he was shocked by a statement released by the Office of the Inspector-General of Police saying that his CSO was withdrawn for misconduct.
He told the IGP that on the contrary, the CSO only stopped a crowd of All Progressives Congress from invading the Government House.
He urged the police to be unbiased during the election, saying that Rivers State people would support an unbiased police but would resist any attempt to use security agencies for untoward electoral action.
Wike accused the police of declaring a statewide curfew in Rivers State without consulting with the state security council.
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