Movement Restriction, Security Beefed Up As Supplementary Election Holds In Rivers

The Rivers State Police Command has said that in view of the forthcoming House of Assembly Supplementary Elections scheduled to hold on Saturday, 13th April, 2019, adequate security has been emplaced to ensure that the exercise is conducted in a peaceful atmosphere, devoid of acrimony.

This is according to a statement by the command’s spokesman, DSP Nnamdi Omoni.

In its communique on Friday, the command said that to realize the full objectives of the Supplementary Elections and engender a seamless exercise, it has deployed a total of 3066 personnel to be complemented by the deployments from other sister Security Agencies, to provide safety, security and maintenance of Law and Order in the affected LGAs.

The affected Local Government Areas are: ABUA/ODUA, AHOADA WEST, GOKANA, and OPOBO/NKORO.

The Commissioner of Police and Chairman of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Elections Security (ICCES), CP Usman A. Belel after a meeting of the Agencies and other bodies directly charged with the responsibility to superintend over the Elections, resolved that:

“That there will be total restriction of movement of Persons, vehicles or any mechanically propelled engine either on land or waterways between the hours of 12 midnight on Friday 12/4/2019 and 2Pm on Saturday 13/4/2019.

“That Very Important Personalities (VIPs) or Politians are barred from going to any voting centre with their security details. Movement is only allowed from their houses to the voting centre and back, as provided by the Electoral Act.

“All Entry and Exit Points to the affected LGAs will be completely blocked until the Elections are over. No Commercial activities will be allowed close to the Polling Units.

“The Police and other Security Agencies will be moving round to ensure that there is strict compliance to this order and possibly arrest and prosecute violators.”

The CP further appealed to those affected by the Order to show understanding and bear with the force, noting that the exercise is only intended to secure a conducive atmosphere for people to exercise their Franchise unhindered.