PSC Eulogizes Police for Resisting Hijack of Election by Thugs

The Police Service Commission Staff Monitors deployed to the Kogi, Imo, and Bayelsa states during the last Saturday governorship election disclosed that Policemen on election duty were courageous, professional and were able to stop attempts to hijack the election materials by the hoodlums.

Dr. Solomon Arase, the Chairman of the Commission and a retired Inspector General of Police who monitored the Kogi election praised the three Deputy Inspectors General of Police (Frank Mba; Sani Habu, and Daniel Isokari-Pedro) who supervised the operations of the policemen, for their relentless and quick responses to the Commission’s urgent requests for Police intervention, especially in troubled areas.

Dr. Arase also advised the Police to remain on guard and be ready to forestall any breakdown of law and order after the declaration of the election results.

He also instructed the Police Management to quickly investigate and forward its recommendations to the Commission for immediate disciplinary action of the police where there is misconduct since every act of misconduct has commensurate consequences for it.

Ikechukwu Ani, the spokesman of the commission, in a statement, said: ”The Officers in several of the Polling Units visited were said to be courteous, approachable and professional.

“Although there were incidents of attacks on voting units, some arrests were recorded in many places, especially in Kogi State.

“The Police were said to have also contained pockets of attacks in Brass and some other locations in the riverine areas of Bayelsa State.
‘There were however reports of vote buying in the three states but without the connivance of Police officers on election duties.

‘The Commission monitored five of the eight local governments in Imo West. In Imo North and East, there were visible patrols of Policemen in collaboration with the Military on the major roads with Police helicopters said to have hovered over the voting space throughout the election period.

“Police Officers were said to have arrived in most of the voting units in Bayelsa very early, properly dressed, and exhibited a high level of professionalism.

“PSC Monitors sighted an average of two policemen in most of the voting units while in few others one Police personnel were seen.

“The Police were said to have sent early signals in Kogi State where it reportedly arrested several miscreants who attacked Polling Units. The Officers on election duty were complimented by Officers from sister Agencies.