23rd July, 2021
There is confusion in Lagos as the State Police Command on Friday overrode the state government’s restriction order on movement during Local Government election on Saturday.
The Lagos State Government had on Thursday announced restriction of movement between 8.00am and 3.00pm to allow for the Local Government election in the state.
A statement from the Lagos State Police Command on Friday said movement restriction must begin from 6.00am to 3.00pm.
Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu said the Command has put measures in place to enforce the restriction of movement order across the state between the hours of 6am and 3pm on Saturday 24th July, 2021, with the exception of only those on election duty and essential services on the election day.
He said the Command has deployed its human and material resources to provide adequate security before, during and after the elections which have been slated for Saturday 24th July, 2021, with a view to having free, fair and credible elections in the state.
Odumosu, while giving directives to officers and men and tactical Commanders in the state on Friday, 23rd July, 2021, at the command’s headquarters, Ikeja, on the command’s strategic deployment of resources, ordered that all Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission’s facilities, sensitive materials, polling units and collation centres must be adequately protected.
He also directed officers and men who have been detailed for the election duty to work hand in hand with other security operatives that are being incorporated into the security arrangements for the elections, and discharge their duties according to the Standard Operating Prosedure of the Nigeria Police and extant electoral laws
Odumosu, however warned politicians and their supporters, stakeholders and Lagosians to play the game according to the rules as the police and other security agencies deployed for the exercise will not condone any act of thuggery, hooliganism, electoral malpractices and criminality in any part of the state before, during and after the Local Government Councils elections.
He, therefore, assured the people of Lagos State, LASIEC officials, candidates, accredited election observers and other actors in the elections of adequate security before, during and after the elections as the security architecture of the state has been fortified.