13th July, 2012
The Edo Commissioner of Police, Mr. Olufemi Adenaike, has warned politicians, who plan to use waterways to carryout electoral fraud to think twice as Marine policemen would be deployed to man waterways.
Adenaike, who has been specially designated as the Commissioner of Police for the election gave the warning on Thursday in Benin, while briefing newsmen on police preparedness for the polls.
He also said that restriction of movement, especially among the politicians and highly placed individuals, would be strictly enforced.
The commissioner, who declined to give the figure of police officers deployed to the state for the election, said the law enforcement agency was set for the election.
He said that strategies had not only been put in place to ensure free, fair and credible polls, but also to ensure safety of the electorate.
While blaming politicians’ reckless statements for the palpable tension in the state, the commissioner urged the citizenry not to nurse any fear, but to come out to exercise their franchise.
According to him, we have mapped out strategies to ensure a violence free and credible election in Edo.
Adenaike said, “There will be police officers in every polling booth in the state. We will also have officers stationed in strategic locations of the state.
“In addition, marine officers will be available for the election. They are to man waterways in the state. We are doing this because we understand that some politicians are planning to import thugs to cause violence during the election.”
He further said “that though I have been deployed here as commissioner for the purpose of the election, I will say that am not new here.
“And since I came on Wednesday, l have been doing a lot of braining storming with officers on ground.We are going to make this election a one man one vote affair.”