Nigeria Police Force have deployed security personnel to the four local government areas ahead of Saturday, February 3, 2024, re-run election in Cross River State, southern Nigeria.
The Commissioner of Police Cross River State Command, Mr Gyogon Grimah gave the hint during an interview with newsmen in Calabar immediately after witnessing the distribution of sensitive and non-sensitive materials to registration areas centres across 34 Polling Units (PUs).
Grimah, who expressed satisfaction with the Independent National Electoral Commission’s conduct of the distribution process, expressed optimism that the re-run election would be free and fair.
He said, “Our preparation is not in doubt. We have been preparing for this exercise since it came to our knowledge that this re-run election would be held on February 3, 2024. Our deployment has been done and we have commenced movement to the locations.
“I want to assure all Nigerians resident in Cross River of our presence. We are fully on ground and we are hopeful that the re-run election would go on smoothly,” Grimah stressed.
The Police Commissioner further stressed, “Every area that this election is holding on Saturday is a flash point for us. We do not have any mapped out territory as ‘ flashpoints’. All the polling units are flash points.”
To the electorates, he advised, “Anyone eligible is free to vote. We will provide an enabling environment, but everybody should be free and conduct themselves peacefully. Go and cast your vote, then go home and wait for the results to be announced.
“Anyone who has nothing to do at the polling units where the re-run election would be conducted should please stay away. We have already directed that there would be restriction of movements in those areas on Saturday and so if you have nothing to do at the polling units where the election would be taking place, please stay away because we will not tolerate any offence,” he reiterated.
Restriction of movement
Meanwhile, the Senior Special Adviser on Security to the Governor of Cross River State, retired Major General Okoi Obono has announced movement restrictions in Biase, Akamkpa, Obanliku and Yala local government areas due to the re-run election.
Obono indicated, “There would be vehicular restrictions during the voting process from 6 am to 2 pm in the aforementioned areas. Use of motorcycles during the exercise is prohibited and individuals, who are not part of the process either as voters, electoral officials, media, security and those on essential duties are strongly advised to stay away from the polling units.”
He advised all markets to adhere strictly to the timeframe and avoid displaying their goods during the voting period, adding “those, who contravene this directive, will face the full wrath of the law.”