Joseph Mbu, assistant inspector-general of Police AIG, Zone 2 Command, has said any persons found involved in election violence in Ogun and Lagos States would be made to face the wrath of the law.
Mbu issued the warning after a meeting with Commissioners of Police and their deputies under his command at Zone 2 headquarters, Onikan, Lagos, on Tuesday.
The AIG said the zone is well prepared for the forthcoming general elections, warning thugs and their sponsors against fueling any violence. “Anybody found with dangerous weapon – firearm,cutlass, axe or anything that can cause injury to a person, will be demobilised and such weapons forcefully recover from them.
“I know that thugs are getting ready and planning to snatch ballot boxes or card readers; it is a very serious offence and whoever tries it will meet his waterloo. The police will repel whoever attempts to do that.
“Any political thugs or group financed for the purpose of election violence should re-think because we are not going to take it lightly with such people. We will not spare them and their sponsors’’, Mbu warned.
Mbu said the zone has enough manpower to prosecute the elections, stressing that they were prepared to protect lives and properties before, during and after the exercise.
Mbu explained that the meeting was to look into their preparation with a view to sharing more information on the best way to provide security for Ogun and Lagos states.
He said apart from police, the Department of State Security Service, National Security and Civil Defence Corps, Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Customs Service, will also provide security for the states.
Mbu appealed to residents of the zone to go out and vote without any fear of intimidation, stressing that there are enough security men to police all areas.
He warned politicians against inciting their followers against others, stressing that no candidate would be allowed to use siren, arms and guards to polling booths on election days.
He also appealed to traditional rulers and clerics to talk to their subjects to eschew violence, stressing that all the known black spots for election violence had been taken care of.
He said it was the voters’ choice to wait or leave after casting their ballot as long as they maintained peace.
Mbu warned that except those accredited to move around to monitor, no other person or group would be permitted to move anywhere during the elections.
He called on the media to consider national security and peace above other things, and to cross check information before publishing.
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