BY CHIDI NKWOPARA

OWERRI-The Nigeria Police says it would deploy over 10,000 of its personnel to the four local council areas where the planned supplementary governorship and House of Assembly polls would be held in Imo State.

The Deputy Inspector General of Police, DIG, Mr. Ivy Okoronkwo, who disclosed this during a pre-election press briefing at the Police State Headquarters, Owerri, also assured the citizenry of the neutrality and preparedness of the security agencies to play their constitutional role during the poll.

“This number is made up of men from anti-riot Police Mobile Force, PMF, anti terrorism squad, ATS, conventional policemen and anti-bomb squad”, Okoronkwo said.

While saying that other sister security agencies will provide a good number of their personnel to complement police efforts, the DIG also said that each polling unit would be adequately manned and vehicular patrols would cover all the polling council areas.

He warned that thuggery and hooliganism would not be tolerated in any part of the state, adding that anybody caught with any offensive weapon will be dealth with .

He also sounded a serious note of warning that “before, during or after the elections, any individual or group, no matter how highly placed, who may be tempted for whatever reasons to embark on use of incisive statements, rumour mongering or any other act cable of jeopardizing public safety, would be made to face the full wrath of the law”.