The Nigerian Police Force alleged yesterday, that it has uncovered a grand plot by some unidentified persons to sneak in thugs and ammunitions with the aim of disrupting today's governorship election in Kogi State.
Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of operations, Mr. Leroy Sotonye who hinted this while briefing newsmen in Lokoja, however, warned politicians and others who were planning to forming trouble to stay off the polling units and other areas of the election or face the wrath of the police.
Addressing journalists on the rules and guidelines of the poll, Sotonye stated traveling through the state would be either be restricted or screened and properly searched so as to avoid breakdown of law and order.
In the alternative, the DIG advised travellers to either seek alternatives routes if they can’t travel by flight or postpone their trips in order to avoid being inconvenienced because of the election.
He said, “If you know you are going to travel through Kogi State, you are advised to either postpone, suspend the trip, go by flight or take alternative routes because you will be stopped by the police.
“We have intelligence that some people are trying to smuggle in thugs and ammunitions and all sorts of things. You will be screened and searched. It will be a distraction to the police and we don’t want to be distracted.
“Our officers have been asked to use their phones to take pictures and videos of incidences so that such persons can be apprehended even after the election. If we cannot arrest the culprits immediately, we can use the pictures to arrest them after the election and provide evidences to the Election Petitions Tribunal”.
Sotonye further noted that, while deployment of the personnel had commenced in different locations, police personnel involved in the coverage of the poll have been provided with adequate funds to enable them do their job effectively.
Noting that their allowances would be paid into their accounts as soon as the full details of the list of personnel were ascertained, he however stated that some of them might not receive the alerts until Monday because banks would not operate fully on Friday.