Barely 48 hours to the February 21 Area Council Elections, the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) Police Command has initiated a sweeping redeployment of Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) across the territory, in what authorities described as a decisive move to fortify election security architecture.
The strategic shake-up, ordered by the Inspector General of Police, Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, and executed by the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command, Miller Dantawaye, signals heightened operational alertness ahead of Saturday’s polls.
The Command said the redeployment forms part of a comprehensive pre-election security blueprint designed to boost operational effectiveness and reinforce public confidence in the electoral process across the nation’s capital.
In a statement issued by the Police Public Relations Officer, Josephine Adeh, the Command stressed that the reshuffle was a proactive measure to ensure neutrality, discipline and strategic coordination before, during and after the elections.
Dantawaye, while relaying the directive of the police high command, charged the affected DPOs to demonstrate the highest standards of professionalism, impartiality and commitment in the discharge of their duties.
He underscored the Command’s resolve to safeguard voters, electoral officials and materials, insisting that any act capable of undermining the credibility of the polls would be firmly addressed within the ambit of the law.
The police leadership maintained that election security remains a cardinal priority, noting that intelligence-led deployments and inter-agency collaboration have been activated to forestall breaches of peace.
In a related development, the Command announced a total restriction of movement across the FCT from 8:00 p.m. on February 20 to 6:00 p.m. on February 21, 2026, with exemptions granted only to essential service providers and duly accredited election officials.
Residents were urged to remain calm, law-abiding and actively participate in the democratic process by exercising their civic rights peacefully on election day.
The Command further appealed to members of the public to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious movements or activities through its designated emergency lines, assuring that swift response mechanisms have been put in place to guarantee a secure and credible electoral outing.