April polls: Two policemen to man each polling station –IG

The Inspector-General of Police, Hafiz Ringim, has said that two policemen will be deployed in each polling station across the country during the general elections.

He has also said that Nigeria Police Force does not need financial assistance from states, local government councils and political parties to pay its personnel on election duties during the April elections.

He said that the Federal Government had given the police the needed funds, including vehicles and other requirements to carry out its mandate of ensuring violence-free and credible general elections in the country.


The IG, who said this during an interactive meeting with chairmen of political parties at the Force headquarters, Abuja on Thursday, however, declined to mention the sum allocated to the police.

Ringim stated that the two policemen to be deployed to a polling station will be complemented by personnel from para-military organisations, adding that vehicles and other items would be deployed from next week.

The police boss added that a seminar would be conducted for security personnel to educate them on what was expected of them on election day.

He said that the use of siren and movement would be restricted on election days except for election monitoring, and that no VIP would be allowed to go to the polling station with security aides.

The IG assured that the police would be neutral and that any officer found violating the electoral law would be sanctioned, adding that the police were determined to justify the confidence of all stakeholders as well as international observers, who had shown interest in the election.

“The police will pursue its mandate of ensuring violence-free and fair elections. The government has made adequate funds available for the allowance of personnel that would be involved in election duty, so we don’t need financial assistance from states, local government councils or political parties,” he said.

The National Chairman, National Democratic Party, Chief Chudi Chukwuani, expressed worries over the incidence of bomb blasts at political rallies and denial of opposition parties the right to hold rallies by state governments as well as the destruction of billboards.

In his contribution, the Chairman, Peoples Liberation Party, Mr. Emmanuel Okereke, alleged that his party members in Delta State were attacked and the police declined to provide security for their rally.

The Chairman, National Transition Party, Mr. Emmanuel Mok, complained that the police had refused to give security aide to the party’s presidential candidate, and suggested the setting up of a team to monitor policemen on election duty.

Ringim, in his, response stated that he was not aware that the police stopped rallies in some states except Ebonyi State, which, he said, the governor had explained.

He called on the party leadership to educate their supporters to stop destroying billboards and posters.