TheCable

Usman Baba, inspector-general of police (IGP), says the massive deployment of officers for the Anambra governorship election is not to intimidate law-abiding residents.

Over the past months, violent attacks in the state and the sit-at-home order by the proscribed Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB) have cast a doubt on the possibility of the governorship election taking place on November 6.

The federal government has maintained that the election must take place on the scheduled date.

On October 14, Baba said 34,587 officers will be deployed in Anambra for the November 6 governorship election, while on October 26,98 senior officers were deployed in the state.

Speaking at the stakeholders forum on the Anambra governorship election, in Akwa on Wednesday, Baba said the deployment is to reassure residents of the federal government’s protection.

“This massive deployment is not designed to intimidate the law-abiding as being insinuated in some quarters,” he said.

“On the contrary, it is to reassure them of adequate protection by deterring misguided political elements as well as non-state actors that might be bent on threatening the election through acts of armed violence or other conducts that violate the provisions of the electoral act.

“It is to also serve as a strong warning that the government is determined to bring such subversive characters to justice should they advance their ignoble, undemocratic and unpatriotic intents.

“The overriding objective of our operational action plan is to ensure an environment that is peaceful enough to encourage the law-abiding people of Anambra State to exercise their electoral franchise.

“The message here is clear. For the political actors and electorates that are law abiding, they are fully assured of optimal security.

“However, for the destabilising elements and other deviants who despite all wise counsels are determined to deploy violence and other illegal means to advance their political interests or constitute a clog in the wheel of peaceful atmosphere for the election, they should be prepared for the consequences of their actions as they will be identified, isolated and decisively dealt with irrespective of their status, ideological inclinations or political affiliation.”