By Kingsley Omonobi, Taye Obateru
The Inspector General of Police, Mr. Hafiz Ringim, is insisting that voters leave immediately after casting their votes.
Mr. Ringim who spoke via a statement signed by the Force Public Relations Officer, FPRO, Mr. Olusola Amore, said the various party representatives be allowed to guard and watch all votes cast.

He said, “while the Nigeria Police is determined to ensure a violence_free election, voters are advised to cast their votes and leave the immediate voting area and allow their various party representatives to take care of guarding and watching all votes cast until they are duly counted and recorded by INEC officials,” the statement read in part.

“The police will not condone any act or conduct that is inimical to the smooth conduct of the elections as any trouble maker will be arrested and dealt with according to the law.”

Similarly the police announced curtailment of movement of persons or group of persons within the country.
“This restriction order is to prevent hoodlums and criminal minded elements who may want to use the period of elections to disrupt and cause violence during the April polls.”

“Movement is hereby curtailed from 6pm of Friday April 1, 2011, to 6pm of Saturday, April 2, 2011; while there will be restriction of movement of persons from 8am to 6pm on Saturday, April 2, 2011 within voting centres.”

Four arrested with arms in Ondo
Meanwhile, the police in Ondo State yesterday arrested four men with sophisticated weapons in different parts of the state.

It was gathered that police swooped on them before they could launch their illegal attack.

••• raise alarm on plot to invade Plateau State
The Plateau State Police Command said yesterday that it had uncovered a plan to destabilize the state during today’s election but pledge that they were on top of the situation and vowed to deal decisively with trouble makers.

The Deputy Commissioner of Police, Mr Umar Gwadabe, said the plot which was being hatched from outside the state, was for hoodlums to invade the state and disrupt the election.

It appealed to residents not to panic and to come out to exercise their voting rights as necessary measures have been put in place to guarantee their safety.

Briefing journalists later, the Police Commissioner deployed to the state for the election, Mr Dipo Ayeni, said the threat to destabilize the state had been nipped in the bud, adding that proactive measures had been taken to combat any threat to peace.

He said strike forces had been put in place to patrol the state and respond promptly to any threat to peace.
Governor Jonah Jang in a broadcast to the people yesterday, said the State Security Council had decided on measures to ensure a peaceful, free and fair election, urging people go out massively to vote.

He announced that every Friday preceding the elections would be observed as public holiday in the state to enable people move to where they registered to vote.