To guarantee the seamless execution of Saturday’s rerun elections in Kaduna, the State Police Command has heightened security measures in specified local government areas and constituencies slated for the event.
On Thursday, Inspector-General of Police (IGP) Kayode Egbetokun imposed movement restrictions from 12:00 am to 6:00 pm in 26 states where by-elections and run-off polls are scheduled for Saturday.
Providing clarification, Kaduna State Police Command’s Mansir Hassan identified the affected local government areas as Chikun, Igabi, Kachia, Kaduna South, Kagarko, Kudan, and Kauru.
A complete movement restriction will be in place from midnight on Saturday, February 3rd, until 5 pm, with exemptions for essential workers such as INEC officials, election observers, medical personnel, and accredited media officers in the specified areas, according to a police statement.
Unauthorized individuals are cautioned against presence at Registration Area Centres (RAC) centers, polling units, and collation centers, with the police warning of arrest and prosecution for those intending to cause disturbances.
In Lagos, the police clarified that the vehicular movement restriction in the state is solely applicable to the Surulere area, where a by-election for a federal constituency seat is occurring.
Benjamin Hundeyin, the spokesperson for the Lagos State Police Command, emphasized that the restriction is limited to Surulere and does not encompass all parts of the commercial city, as speculated in some quarters.
“CLARIFICATION: In the forthcoming bye-election in Lagos State, restriction of movement is applicable only in the election area, Surulere Federal Constituency I,” he said in a Friday post on his X handle. “There is no restriction of movement in other parts of the state.”
The Surulere Federal Constituency 1 position became vacant after President Bola Tinubu appointed a former Speaker of the House of Representatives Femi Gbajabiamila – who clinched the post in the 2023 elections – as his chief of staff.