2019 elections: Kwara police to guard against unwholesome acts

The Kwara State Police Command has assured its commitment to provide adequate security for 2019 general election and ensure violence-free elections that will be adjudged fair and credible by all.

The command equally warned all to obey extant laws guiding the conduct of the campaign, election and voting, adding that all forms of election campaign should be free of hate speech, party leaders should have full control of all party members and make sure they are well educated to shun and avoid any form of act that could lead to violence or conflict between all perceived political opponents.

Bashir Makama, the state police commissioner stated this at the summit organised by the command to meet with stalk holders towards ensuring a violence-free elections in Kwara.

The police boss who noted that security is every body’s business to ensure safety of lives and properties during and after the election, solicited support and cooperation of civil society, election observers and other relevant agencies to join hands with the security agencies for hitch-free elections.

Makama explained that while the police provide adequate security personnel to accompany INEC officials conveying sensitive and non-sensitive electoral materials to polling units, deploy vehicular patrols throughout the state and close monitoring and provision of anti-bomb at collation centres for successful electioneering period, he said: “The effective performance of these duties cannot be achieved without the support of our stakeholders in the elections policing space.

“Gone are the days when security was left for security agencies, the global approach now is the philosophy of Community Policing, practised all over the world, hence the resolve of the Federal Government of Nigeria and the police authority to adopt Community Policing where members contribute to the way they are being policed.

“What we need now is for everybody to ensure that the peace and tranquility we enjoy in the state is not truncated and also for every Nigerian to be mindful of the fragile nature of our National Security and the need to maintain and improve on it. “Politicians and their supporters are advised to play the game according to the rules by desisting from certain conducts which can graduate to violence and jeopardise the 2019 general election.

“Anybody or politician who engages in any act or negative conduct will be arrested and prosecuted no matter how highly placed.”

In his submission at the event, Garba Madami, the state Resident Electoral Commissioner, assured that the electoral body in the state would provide a level playing ground for all the parties contesting election.

Madami promised that the agency would conduct a free, fair and transparent election that the state will be proud of.