Police to deploy 24,000 officers for Ondo gov poll

Peter Dada, Akure

The Ondo State Commissioner of Police, Mrs. Hilda Harrison, has said that  24,000 officers and men of the Nigeria Police Force will provide security during the November 26, 2016 governorship election in the state.

Harrison said this during the signing of a peace accord with political parties at the Officers’ Mess Akure, the state capital on Wednesday.

She warned members of the political parties that would be participating in the election against violence, saying the police would deal ruthlessly with anybody caught fomenting trouble during the campaign and the election.

She said, “There will be no room for breakdown of law and order on the day of the election. I hope that a week to the election, over 24,000 policemen will be sent here to provide security.

“Tearing of posters should stop, we have received information that some people are tearing the posters of opposing parties; we won’t allow this any longer. Nobody has the right to tear the posters of another political party.

“There must not be throwing of stones or other dangerous weapons at anybody during campaigns. We have to be law-abiding so that we can have peace during the election period. “

Responding, the state Chairman of the Social Democratic Party, Chief Korede Duyile, appealed to the police to provide adequate security during the election.

Similarly, the Deputy Chairman of the Peoples Democratic  Party, Mr. Fatai Adams, said members of his party would cooperate with the security agencies during the election period.

Some of the political parties represented at the event  included the PDP, the SDP, the KOWA Party, the Peoples Redemption Party and the Democratic Peoples Party.