IGP Warns Policemen: Don’t Move About With VIPs On Election Days

IGP, Adamu

The acting Inspector General of Police, Mr Mohammed Adamu, has said no police officer either in uniform or mufti is allowed to accompany any politician on election days.

He spoke at the public presentation of a partnership between some stakeholders in the elections.

Those in the partnership are the Transition Monitoring Group, the Human, Environmental Development Agenda, the Police Service Commission and Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission, among others.

The IGP said, “Everyone has a civic responsibility in ensuring peaceful and credible elections. Election materials must be secured. Electoral officials, domestic and foreign observers must be protected.

“The Independent National Electoral Commission has rolled out the ways stakeholders should conduct themselves. On our part, we assure the nation that all electoral materials will be secured and the electorate will be allowed to cast their votes without monetisation.

“No police officer is allowed to move around with any VIP on election day. Anyone, who does so in uniform or mufti will be arrested.”

He added that all security agents would wear tags to ensure there are no fake officers “because we have heard that a lot of fake uniforms are being brought into the country.”

The IGP said security agents would monitor ad hoc staff that could easily be manipulated, “especially National Youth Service Corps members.”

He added that observers were allowed to take pictures but that they could not take pictures of people while voting “such that you know what party they are voting for.”
-The State