The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, CP Olorundare Jimoh, has assured residents of the state of adequate security ahead of the forthcoming local government elections, scheduled to hold across the 20 Local Government Areas and 37 Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) of the state.
Speaking during a press briefing in Lagos, CP Jimoh stated that the Command, in collaboration with the Lagos State Independent Electoral Commission (LASIEC), has fine-tuned operational strategies to ensure the elections are peaceful, free, and fair.
He revealed that a comprehensive operational order and deployment plan has already been released, with additional support approved by the Inspector General of Police. “The IGP has approved a significant deployment of personnel and anti-riot equipment from neighbouring states. While I won’t disclose the specific number, I can confirm that the personnel run into thousands,” the Commissioner said.
In preparation for the exercise, the police have also held multiple inter-agency meetings, involving other security and safety agencies under the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES). According to CP Jimoh, threat assessments have been carried out across all LGAs and LCDAs, with particular attention paid to volatile areas, including urban and rural waterline communities, where marine police have been deployed.
He encouraged the over six million registered voters in Lagos who have collected their Permanent Voter Cards (PVCs) to come out en masse and exercise their civic rights.
The Commissioner explained that the security plan is structured in three phases: pre-election, election day, and post-election. “There may not be problems during the voting process, but issues sometimes arise before or after elections. We are fully prepared for all scenarios,” he added.
He also noted that the police have not recorded any major security breach since the commencement of campaigns by the 15 political parties participating in the elections. He urged political players to maintain peace and adhere to electoral laws.
CP Jimoh cautioned quasi-security outfits not sanctioned by the Federal Government to stay away from election duties, warning that only statutory security agencies under the ICCES are authorised to provide election security. “Any local security group should channel concerns through appropriate authorities. They are not permitted to operate on election day,” he warned.
To enhance coordination, the Commissioner announced that a fully operational control room would be established at the State Command Headquarters. It will be overseen by the Deputy Commissioner of Police in charge of Operations and will include representatives from all security agencies, including the military.
He concluded by reiterating the Command’s confidence in the electoral body and assured Lagosians of the police’s readiness to protect voters, electoral officials, and other stakeholders before, during, and after the elections.