Ahead of the Governorship election in Edo State slated for Saturday, the Inspector General of Police, IGP Mohammed. Abubakar Adamu on Thursday ordered the restriction of vehicular movement from 11:59 PM on Friday, 18th September to 6 pm Saturday, 19th September.
This was contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja by the Force Public Relations Officer, FPRO, Frank Mba, a Deputy Commissioner of Police DCP.
The statement explained that this in line with concerted efforts at ensuring public order and safety, during the Gubernatorial election slated for Saturday,
According to the statement, “the restriction order is informed by the need to prevent the free flow, circulation and use of illicit arms and hard drugs and checkmate the movement of political thugs and touts and other criminally-minded individuals especially from contiguous States from hijacking and disrupting the electoral processes.
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The IGP enjoined citizens to go out en-masse on the day of the election and vote, noting that the Police and other security agencies have been sufficiently mobilized to provide a safe, secure and conducive environment for the election.
While regretting any inconveniences the restriction order might cause the citizens, the IGP enjoined the citizens to see the restriction as part of necessary sacrifices towards the enthronement of democracy.
He, however, warned that the Force would not sit idly by and watch citizens who might want to engage in any criminal act – violent and destructive acts, snatching of ballot boxes, vote-buying, vote selling, hate speeches, and other act(s) capable of compromising the electoral processes.
