By Samuel Oyadongha

Yenagoa—A total of 14,000 policemen, one Deputy Inspector-General of Police, DIG, and two Commissioners of Police are to be deployed in Bayelsa State for Saturday’s governorship election.

The Inspector General of Police, Mr Solomon Arase, who disclosed this in an interview in Yenagoa, yesterday, assured the people of the state that the police will provide adequate security for voting materials, INEC personnel and ensure that the election was peaceful, free and fair.

Arase, who later interacted with officers and men of the Bayelsa Command, said, “A Deputy Inspector General of Police, DIG and two Commissioners of Police will be deployed in the state to supervise the deployment of 14,000 officers and men of the Nigeria Police for the election. We are prepared for the Bayelsa election.”

He dismissed claims that the men of the Police Force were part of the federal might allegedly deployed to rig the election.

“The Police is apolitical. INEC will conduct the election while our job is to provide a robust policing for the election,” he said, adding that the roads, waterways and creeks of the state would be shut down during the period of the election in all the local government areas of the state.

He dismissed as unfounded, claims of alleged recruitment of thugs and deployment of fake policemen for the election.

“Such investments by any of the political parties is a waste as the police have initiated special identification code for proper identification of personnel during the poll. Those who invested in such fake policemen should consider it a bad investment.

“We have developed a unique identification number for the police and those who invested their time and money to sew uniforms and recruit fake policemen should consider it a bad investment.”