Inspector-General of Police, Ibrahim Idris, has confirmed that he
authorized the withdrawal of the Aide Camp (ADC) to Governor Willie
Obiano of Anambra.
Idris spoke during Election Stakeholders’ Forum organised by the
Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday in Awka.
The IG explained that the development was based on the previous
experience the police recorded whereby the military caught an ADC to “a
governor” escorting a vehicle loaded with arms on Election Day.
“We do not mean anything bad to Anambra governor on this action; his
ADC will be returned to him early Sunday morning after the governorship
election on Saturday November 18.
“We have equally withdrawn all the policemen attached to political
appointees, Local Government Chairmen and others in Anambra till after
the election,” he said.
Idris said that the Police Force had deployed 26,000 personnel, 300 vehicles, three helicopters and 15 gunboats for the poll.
The deployment of policemen and other security personnel, he said,
was not to cause panic, but to give the people the needed protection.
INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu assured that everything had been
put in place for the conduct of credible, free and fair election.
Mahmood said that distribution of non-sensitive materials would
commence on Thursday, while the sensitive materials would arrive the
state via Akanu Ibiam International Airport, Enugu, same day.
“I will like to use this opportunity to declare as untrue the earlier
claim by some people that sensitive materials for this election were
uncovered in a hotel in Awka.
“The sensitive materials will arrive through the Akanu Ibiam
International Airport, Enugu, and will be escorted like money to Awka by
the Central Bank escort team on Thursday.”