By Bright Bassey
The Commissioner of Police, Lagos State, Fatai Owoseni, has said about 8,000 security officers would be deployed to the Ifako-Ijiaye Federal House of Representatives bye-election holding on Saturday.
Speaking at a Stakeholder’s Forum, the commissioner said the security personnel would include the police, military and officers of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC.
He added the 335 polling units and 687 voting points would be manned by three policemen each.
“We want to ensure we secure the process as much as possible. You may know the beginning of violence, but no one knows the end of it. Please, don’t engage in violence.
“We have met and we are still meeting as security agents. We want to assure that we will do all what is necessary to give all parties a level playing ground with regards to security.
“Our main concern is to secure the process; help us to tell your supporters that it is voting they are asked to come and do, not violence and killing.
“We are all related, we should think of this before engaging in violence. Elected offices are not gotten by violence; let us allow all to exercise their suffrage.
“We advise you to do politics without violence and rancor; we should suppress whatever violence tendency,” he said.
He said the Police would meet with the contestants and they would be made to sign a Memorandum of Understanding, MoU, on peaceful conduct of supporters.
Owoseni also noted that movements would be restricted in the affected constituency, adding that details will be available for the public on Friday.
Elijah Adewale, who represented the Ifako-Ijiaye constituency in the House of Representative died in Abuja on July 20 prompting the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC to fix a bye-election for the vacant seat to be contested for on 3rd December.
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