THREE hundred and twenty-three persons are being held by the Police for sundry electoral offences across the country, Acting Inspector-General Mohammed Adamu said yesterday.
The suspects were arrested on February 23 during the Presidential and National Assembly election. They are to be the Special Electoral Offences Team.
According to IG Adamu, the police lost two of its personnel during the election. Several others were attacked and assaulted.
He noted that the Special Electoral Offences Team of the Force will liaise with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to prosecute electoral offenders.
The police spoke in Abuja at the Force Headquarters during the post-Presidential and National Assembly elections evaluation meeting with Assistant Inspector General of Police (AIGs), Commissioners of Police (CPs) and other senior police officers.
On the number of those arrested, he said: “The updated statistics resulting from Presidential and National Assembly elections, shows that a total of 323 offenders have so far been arrested for various electoral offences and sundry crimes across the country.
“Two officers also paid the supreme price, while some others were assaulted and injured.
“For those arrested for various electoral infractions, I have directed the Special Electoral Offences Team of the Force to undertake detailed and conclusive investigations into all the cases with a view to liaising with the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in ensuring their prosecution.
“The Election Investigation Team, headed by CP Legal, has compiled all the cases and they are already on ground moving from one state to other to gather more evidence in collaboration with INEC and prosecution will be done by INEC.”
Stating the readiness of the Force to ensure a smooth process in the forthcoming governorship and state assembly election, the IG warned politicians and others who may want to disrupt the process to desist or face the full weight of the law.
He also said that officers that will be deployed to polling units will not carry arms in order not to scare voters from exercising their franchise.
IG Adamu said: “As we perfect our plans for the Governorship and State Assembly election, I also want to reassure the nation and the international community of the unwavering commitment of the police to work closely with INEC and sister security agencies towards guaranteeing a peaceful and secure space for Nigerians to exercise their electoral franchise.
“l must, however, re-emphasise that just as in the recently concluded Presidential and National Assembly elections, the Nigeria Police shall remain civil, firm, optimally professional and apolitical in the discharge of our duties in the 9th March, 2019 elections.
“We shall, nonetheless, deploy all lawful assets and assert our statutory powers to deal decisively, firmly, and promptly with any person or groups that may attempt to disrupt the process.
“Therefore, all political actors who might be preparing to threaten the peaceful conduct of the exercise are hereby firmly warned to play the game of politics by the rules as stipulated in the Electoral Act and to appreciate that national interest overrides their personal ambitions. Doing otherwise shall attract the full and appropriate response from the Police and other security agencies.”
On whether there would be armed policemen in the polling units to reduce cases of disruption and other electoral offences, he said: “There will be no armed men in the polling units because the electoral law does not allow armed policemen or any other security agency that is armed to be in the polling unit.
“However, armed men will be within the vicinity of the unit for patrol in order to prevent touts and others from disrupting the electoral process because if we send armed policemen to the polling units, the electorates may be afraid to go close to the polling units to cast their votes and that is not encouraged. In fact, internationally, it is not encouraged. So, there will be no armed personnel within the units.”
He commiserated with the families of the officers who lost their lives and sympathized with those who were injured, assuring the families of the affected that the perpetrators will be fished out.
“I wish to send my heartfelt condolences to the families of officers and men who lost their lives during the exercise and I also sympathize with those who were injured or assaulted. I assure them that the perpetrators of these acts will be fished out and brought to deserved justice no matter their socio-political status”, the IG said.
He also commended the personnel across all ranks for their sacrifice and exceptional professionalism which was demonstrated during the February 28 poll, assuring that that no officer would be deployed for special duty without payment.
Adamu said: “Under my watch, any officer sent on special duty must be paid and election duty undertaken is part of it. Allowances were paid fully and we will continue to pay all allowances for special duties before they go. If we don’t have the money to pay, we will not send them on special duty.”