BARELY three days to Saturday’s governorship election in Ekiti State, security men deployed in the state for election duties have started to arrive, with residents of Ado-Ekiti, the state capital, noting that their numbers so far had exceeded their expectations.
On Tuesday, many of the police officers and men deployed in the state were seen in and around the Ekiti State police command headquarters, some of them with their dogs, as they awaited further deployment in their places of primary assignment in the election.
The police authorities had announced that no fewer than 12,000 personnel would be in Ekiti for the election duty, with the number outside those that had already been deployed by the Department of State Security and sundry security agencies.
However, the “show of force,” which had earlier been carried out by some of the security operatives, had drawn mixed reactions from the people of the state, with a cross section of the people pointing out that they were not expecting the size of security operatives already in the state as of Tuesday.
Some of the residents in Bashiri area of Ado-Ekiti, where the police command headquarters is located, noted that “with the number of policemen we’ve seen around, even an argument among friends would lead to arrest, because they would think it’s about the election.”
A senior police officer in the state, however, told the Nigerian Tribune that their presence should not be a source of worry to the people, as they had been forewarned that policemen would arrive in the state in large numbers.
The senior officer, who did not want his name in print, said “I cannot speak for the police because we would have an official spokesperson on all election matters, but I can tell you that the presence of heavy security is to make the efforts of all the stakeholders in the election to worth the while.”
He said those expressing worries should rather commend the Federal Government for bringing enough men and officers to help in the state and secure them from election vandals and other criminal elements.
Meanwhile, the Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mohammed Abubakar and the chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Attahiru Jega, are expected in Ekiti State today and they are expected to address various stakeholders in the state on the election.
Meanwhile, the police will, today, arraign the Ekiti State Commissioner for Integration and Inter-Governmental Affairs, Funminiyi Afuye and 11 others before Justice Evoh Chukwu of the Federal High Court, Abuja.
The police had slammed a three-count charge bordering on terrorism against Afuye and other accused persons.
They were arrested over the clash by party supporters in Ekiti, during which one Peter Akin was killed.
The charge, filed in the name of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) and marked: FHC/ABJ/CR/118/14, was signed by Mr Oloye Torugbene.
The decision to arraign the 12 followed an action filed by Afuye against the police in the state, alleging physical assault on him by Mobile Police Commander, Gabriel Selenkere.
Afuye, in the suit filed before the state High Court in Ado Ekiti, was seeking N1 billion as damages for physical assault on his person and unlawful detention.
Charged along with Afuye are Idowu Aladejebi (68); Afuye Jide (30); Anisulowo Kayode (46); Azeez Suleiman (19); Ajayi Idowu (18); Babadi Ajayi (35); Abiodun Omoniyi (68); Oyedapo Olaoluwa (29); Sunday Olalere (27); Dapo David (26) and Akinyemi Tayo (25).
The alleged offences for which they are being tried are said to be punishable under sections 1(2)(d), 2(2)(h) and 17 of the Terrorism Prevention (Amendment) Act 2013.
