LG Polls: Police, Enugu govt restrict movements on Saturday

The Commissioner of Police in Enugu State, Bitrus Giwa, has ordered the restriction of human and vehicular movements across the state from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on Saturday.

The state police spokesperson, Daniel Ndukwe, disclosed this in a statement on Thursday.

The order follows an earlier announcement by the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) that it would conduct the state’s local government chairmanship and councillorship elections on Saturday.

Mr Ndukwe, a superintendent of police, said Mr Giwa directed that only persons on essential duties and duly accredited election officials should be exempted from the restriction order.

The spokesperson said the police commissioner also ordered the deployment of police operatives across the state’s 17 local government areas for the elections.

He said the police chief further barred quasi-security outfits from participating in election security and directed all armed security personnel on VIP escort duties not to escort VIPs to polling units.

Adequate security

Mr Giwa, according to the statement, assured residents of the state and all voters that there would be adequate security before, during and after the elections.

The commissioner said the security would be provided by the police in collaboration with other security agencies.

The police chief then urged eligible voters to turn out and exercise their franchise.

He warned political parties, candidates and their supporters against electoral malpractices and acts capable of disrupting the peaceful conduct of the elections.

“Violators will face the full weight of the law,” he said of electoral offenders.

The police shared mobile numbers and urged voters to contact them in the event of security emergencies or electoral violence.

Enugu govt issues similar order

The Enugu State Government also announced a similar restriction order ahead of the local council election on Saturday.

In a statement on Thursday, the Secretary to the Enugu State Government (SSG), Chidiebere Onyia, said there would be a restriction on vehicular movement and other forms of transportation across the state from 6:00 a.m. to 4:00 pm on Saturday.

Mr Onyia, a professor, said the restriction was to ensure peaceful, orderly, secure and hitch-free conduct of the elections.

“Accordingly, there shall be no vehicular movement on the roads or other forms of transportation within the State during the period of the restriction, except persons and vehicles performing essential election-related and emergency services,” he said.

The SSG listed those excepted in the restriction order to include ENSIEC officials, accredited election personnel, security personnel deployed for election duties, accredited election observers, and media practitioners.

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Others are health workers, ambulance personnel, firefighters, and other persons “expressly authorised” to perform essential election or emergency duties.

Mr Onyia said the government has urged all residents of Enugu State, political parties, candidates, supporters, and other stakeholders to comply with the restriction and conduct themselves peacefully and responsibly before, during, and after the elections.

“The people of Enugu State are further encouraged to exercise their civic responsibilities peacefully and in accordance with the guidelines issued by ENSIEC and other relevant authorities,” he appealed.

The SSG said the security agencies have been directed to ensure strict enforcement of the directive and to maintain law and order throughout the elections.

“The state government regrets the temporary inconvenience this restriction may cause,” he said.