EkitiDecides2018: Why we deployed 30,000 police for Ekiti governorship election – NPF

The Nigeria Police Force (NPF) has deployed 30,000 policemen to Ekiti State for today, Saturday July 14th, 2018 governorship elections.

The Force public relations officer, Jimoh Moshood said: “The policemen are to be deployed from Police Mobile Force (PMF) units, Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), the Special Protection Unit (SPU), the Anti Bomb Squad (EOD), Conventional Policemen, the Armament Unit, personnel of FCIID and the Sniffer dogs section. Four policemen and two others from other security agencies will be on duty at each polling unit throughout the State.”

“The Deputy Inspector General of Police, Department of Operations has been deployed to the state, and will be assisted by an assistant inspector general of police, four commissioners of police, eight deputy commissioners of police and eighteen assistant commissioners of police, and each senatorial district to be manned by a commissioner of police.”

”The DIG will implement and coordinate the security operations, and also supervise the deployment of security personnel for the elections throughout the 2,451 polling units/voting points, 177 wards and sixteen LGAs,” he added.

The PMF is to be headed by a Senior Officer will provide security at the RAC, Super RAC and collation centres.
Two patrol surveillance helicopters, five armoured personnel carriers, ten armoured personnel vehicles and two hundred and fifty (250) police patrol vehicles are to deployed throughout the state.
It was gathered that it may not entirely possible to deploy 30,000 personnel, which represents about 10 percent of the force, to Ekiti. Checks revealed that a signal from the Force HQ in Abuja triggered the commencement of deployments to the state over the last three days.
The police mobile units from the 36 states are expected to send at least one unit to Ekiti. Mobile units are made up of 63 policemen, to be deployed from about 20 mobile squadrons across the 12 zones. A deployment of one unit of 63 policemen from the 36 states multiplies to 2,268 policemen.
Police SPUs and Police CTUs are also to deploy one unit of 63 personnel from the 12 squadrons in the zone, pegging expected men to be deployed at 756, which makes it a total of 1,512. Also, if each polling unit is to be manned by 4 policemen, the 2,451 polling units in Ekiti State would require only 9,804 policemen.
The 250 police operational vehicles deployed in Ekiti State may convey about 8 policemen per vehicle, which adds up to 2,000 policemen, even though the United Nation’s standard is 5 policemen per vehicle.

However , conventional policemen are to be deployed from many states to make up number of deployments, Ekiti’s are expected to deploy according to manpower availability. The state’s police manpower is said to be about 7,000, and neighbouring states will also deploy.

DIG Operations Joshak Habila is to coordinate the police efforts in the state. DIGs usually have about 60 policemen attached to them.
In the whole, a total of 2,268 mobile police personnel, 1,512 special protection and counter terrorism troops, 9, 804 at polling units, 2,000 conventional personnel in 250 operational vehicles and 7,000 personnel in Ekiti State would not amount to the 30,000 policemen announced.