221 Police Officers Guard Obiano As Anambra Gov
BY VICTOR BUORO, ABUJA – Worried by reports alleging deliberate plot to endanger the life of Governor Willie Obiano of Anambra State, the Nigeria Police Force said 221 police officers are currently watching over the governor’s personal and office protection.
The Force dismissed the reports as ‘laughable and absurd’, stating that its personnel attached to Governor Obiano are more than the strength of some Police Area Commands in the Country.
It stated that this massive security arrangement “is done to ensure optimum safety and protection of the Executive Governor of Anambra.”
According to a statement by the Force spokesman, Mr Jimoh Moshood, the personnel presently attached to the governor include one ADC; one CSO; one Unit Commander from 45 Police Mobile Force (PMF); and one Administration Officer to administer the Police Personnel.
The statement said others in the team are 43 personnel of Police Mobile Force from 29 PMF and 54 PMF; 62 personnel of PMF from 45 PMF; 46 Personnel of Special Protection Unit (SPU); and 66 Personnel of Conventional Policemen.
Moshood also explained that contrary to reports in the media, the ADC or any other police officer attached to Governor Obiano were not withdrawn.
He said the ADC and Chief Security Officer (CSO), were only called to the State Command on Tuesday, November 14, 2017 to attend a lecture with personnel deployed for the governorship election.
The Force spokesperson said both security officers returned later after the lecture to their duty posts at the Government House in Awka without any issue to warrant the on-going controversy in the public space.
Mr Moshood however maintained that the Force would not compromise the security arrangements already put in place for the Saturday, November 18 gubernatorial polls in the state.
The statement, which warned trouble makers to stay off the Anambra elections, assured that; “The Force will also ensure adequate protection of the electorate, INEC Officials, Election Observers/Monitors, Electoral Materials and the general populace before, during and after the election.”
By its computation, the Force disclosed on Monday that about 26,000 additional personnel have been deployed to the State for the election.
Governor Obiano, who had lodged a protest on the withdrawal of his Security aides at the Election Stakeholders’ Forum organised by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday in Awka, also approached President Muhammadu Buhari over the issue during the All Progressive Congress (APC) rally for the governorship polls.
However, the Police denial contradicts the earlier position by IGP Ibrahim Idris, who confirmed that he authorized the withdrawal of the Governor’s Aide Camp (ADC).
The IGP had explained at the Election Stakeholders’ Forum organised by INEC that the development was based on the previous experience the police recorded whereby the military caught an ADC to “a governor” escorting a vehicle loaded with arms on Election Day.
