Rivers Re-run: DIG Warn Trouble Makers

Head of private guard Companies,Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Plateau State Command, Mr Adeboye Popoola (right), with his men sealing off an illegal private security guard Company in Jos, on Tuesday

The Deputy Inspector-
General of Police (DIG) Sotonye Wakama in charge of police Monitoring team for the Rivers State re-run elections scheduled to hold this Saturday, has warned those planning to make trouble during the elections to have a re-think or be prepared to face the full strength of the force.
The DIG handed down the warning when he led other top police officers, including INEC National Officials for the conduct of the election to the state INEC Headquarters in Port Harcourt, Monday.
Wakama, who is the DIG, Operations, stated that the police were specifically brought here to ensure that absolute peace prevailed in the state during the re-run elections in the state, adding that the police and other security agencies are prepared to promote  conducive environment for the elections.
According to him, much have been said about the state before and after the 2015 general elections and many things that had happened, adding that such crisis cannot be condoned this time around.
“We came down here to re-assure the INEC and people of the state that we are prepared to ensure crime free elections in the state.
“We are prepared to face every situation that confronts us squarely. We are not going to run gun battle with anybody, but if we are confronted we are fully prepared to crushed them, he stated.
He used the opportunity to advise those who have no business with the elections to keep off from the voting areas, adding that the police would not tolerate any form of compromise from anybody, no matter how highly placed.
“This time, anybody doing or planning  anything that would harm people during the elections, we would explore the elastic of the law because that is what we came here to do but we will do it with smiling face,” Wakama said.
The DIG availed that the 6,000 police officers deployed for the Election would complement the police personnel in the state for the purpose of attaining peaceful elections even as he assured that the police in conjunction with other security operatives have taken care of the flash point areas.
Also speaking, the INEC National Officers team leader, Mrs Amina Zakari, said the Rivers elections was competitive in Nature, adding that much have been said about the elections.
She said they were in the state to give assurances to all the parties involved in the elections that the commission would be fair to all during the conduct of the elections.
In his contribution, the state INEC Resident Commissioner, Mr Anidi Ikoiwak, stated that the commission would enforce the use of card reader machines during the Elections, adding that except where the card reader machines fail, the manual accreditation would be used.