ABUJA – The Inspector-General of Police, Mr Suleiman Abba, has inaugurated a Joint Operation Centre for all security agencies involved in the conduct of the general elections in the FCT.
Abba said after inaugurating the centre at the FCT Police Command yesterday that senior officers would be deployed to the centre who would monitor field officers and the elections.
He said similar centres had been set up in all police commands across the nation, as well as the Force Headquarters.
According to him, the centre at the force headquarters will be manned by representatives of all the Service Chiefs, the IGP and head of paramilitary orgranisations.
He added that “we have sensitised officers that will be in the field but it is still expected that they may require intervention at least in form of advice by senior officers.
“I cannot be tired of assuring members of the public that we will not relent in our efforts to make sure that adequate security is provided for the conduct of the elections.’’
The police boss said the centre had been equipped with communication gadgets, including computers and Close Circuit Television (CCTV) for officers to effectively monitor the field officers and the elections.
He assured that adequate personnel would be provided to man the 155,000 polling units and 9,000 collation centres across the country during the elections.
Abba had also assured of adequate security during the February elections after a mock exercise by the FCT Police Command Crowd Control Unit at the Old Parade ground in Abuja.
He said “this is one of the ways of preparing personnel to discharge their duties diligently, particularly when more and more people are becoming apprehensive of violence during the elections.’’
He advised politicians to abide by the code of conduct recently signed by leaders of all political parties and called on those who might not be satisfied with result of the elections to use the right cannel to seek redress.
According to him, the tribunal is the best place to go to seek redress incase of any disagreement, rather than resorting to violence.
“Once this is done and you educate your followers, I do not see any reason why we should have violence after elections,’’ he said.
