15th April, 2011
Ahead of the Saturday presidential race, there are strong indications that the police in Lagos will deploy 10,000 officers to strategic poling booths in order to checkmate the outbreak of violence.
P.M.NEWS learnt that the deployment became necessary following the reported attempt made by loyalists of federal House of Representatives candidate in Alimosho Local Government area to disrupt the collation of results during the National Assembly election last Saturday.
During the election, security agents averted the clash between some loyalists of the PDP candidate and members of the ruling Action Congress of Nigeria at Iyana Ipaja bus-stop in Lagos, southwest Nigeria.
This resulted in the arrest and detention of the candidate by police officers from SCID, Panti Yaba, until he was eventually released on bail Monday this week.
But, with the redeployment of the officers, the police in Lagos are ready to nip in the bud attempts by some trouble makers to foment trouble and disrupt the presidential election.
Suleiman Abba, Lagos state police commissioner confirmed this when he declared yesterday that 30,000 security agents have been placed on red alert in order to ensure that the presidential election is devoid of violence.
Abba warned political jobbers, especially in Alimosho as well as other parts of Lagos, to refrain from being used by politicians or be prepared for trouble with security agents.
By Emmanuel Udom