6,000 Policemen To Monitor Elections In Imo State

The Nigeria Police has deployed over 6,000 officers to monitor
Saturday's presidential elections across the 27 Local Government Areas
in Imo State.

Briefing reporter on Friday at the Imo State Police Command
Headquarters in Owerri, the state's capital, a spokesman for the
Police, Andrew Enwerem, said the command was fully ready and prepared
for the elections.

He explained that the Police had put in place necessary security
measures to monitor the 305 wards of the Independent National
Electoral Commission in the state and 3,525 polling units across the
state.

Mr Enwerem, however, advised the residents of the state to adhere
strictly to the directives on the restriction of persons and vehicles
in the state within the hours of 7:00am and 6:00pm local time on
Saturday.

He said the command was committed to ensuring credible, free and fair
elections in the state.

The Police spokesman urged all politicians in the state to advise
their supporters not to cause mayhem or electoral violence, stressing
that the command will deal ruthlessly with any group or persons found
guilty no matter his position in the society.

The Inspector General of Police, Sulieman Abba, had earlier told
Channels Television that the Police were prepared to safeguard
lives and property during the election.

He said that the police would work with other security agencies in
Nigeria to raise enough manpower to cover the polling units across the
state.
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