The Nigeria Police Force has deployed 15,544 policemen to Rivers State for the February 16 presidential and National Assembly elections.
According
to Usman Belel, Rivers State Commissioner of Police, the deployment is
to beef up security and ensure smooth conduct of election in the state.
Rivers
State is currently heated up due to the barring of the All Progressives
Congress (APC) from fielding any candidate in the state.
The
party members held a protest at the state office of the Independent
National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Thursday, and were dispersed by
Police and Army with tear-gas canisters.
Addressing journalists
in Port Harcourt, Belel said: “There will be radical departure from the
past elections usually characterized by violence. Together, we shall get
it right this time. Rivers State will outlive the elections.
“On
our part, we promise to be neutral, apolitical and professional and to
provide level-playing fields for all the political parties to exercise
their franchise.”
Belel added that both land and water ways would be shut from 12midnight on Friday till 4pm on Saturday.
Source:- Saharareporters
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