Edo Poll: The Police Were Politically Neutral – DIG Mba

Amid allegations of partisanship levelled against security agencies during last Saturday’s governorship election in Edo State by the People’s Democratic Party, (PDP) and some election observers, the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) in charge of the election, Frank Mba, insisted on Monday that the police were “politically neutral” and conducted itself in line with international best practices.

Recall that the acting National Chairman of the PDP, Ambassador Iliya Damagun, at a press conference on Monday, had accused some “government-controlled agencies” of conniving with the APC to rig the election in which their party’s candidate, Dr. Asue Ighodalo lost to Senator Monday Okpebholo, candidate of the All-Progressives Congress, APC.

Ambassador Damagun complained that the governorship election “was barefacedly compromised by the APC in collusion with unpatriotic security operatives and heavily procured officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC)”.

Yiaga Africa, a non-profit organisation, which observed the election, in its post-election observations, strongly condemned the actions of some biased INEC officials who altered figures during collation, “including the actions of some security officials who interfered with the collation process”.

However, at his post-election press conference to update the public on police activities during the election, DIG Mba said “There was no incident of misuse of firearms. We were fair, but we were firm. We were tough on the criminals, but we were protective of the law-abiding, and so it was that sense of pride that I brief you today”.

He disclosed that six persons were arrested during the election, stolen or illegally acquired Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, (BVAS) machines recovered, while four weapons and 58 voter cards in unlawful possession of a suspect, were also recovered.

On the conduct of police personnel during the election, DIG Mba said “I will say without mincing words that officers and men of the Nigerian Police, supported by personnel of other law enforcement agencies, did excellently well during the election. Throughout the election, there was no single threat recorded.

“The election was violence-free. There was no recorded incident of the kidnap, assault or molestation of any INEC staff or other persons, or other stakeholders involved in the election. There was no recorded incident of arson. There was no recorded incident of serious assault on the police or members of other law enforcement agencies. We were able to keep the land, the air and the waterways safe”.

On number of arrests, the former Force spokesman said, “Yes, there were arrests made. Six persons were arrested. We expect this number to shoot up in the course of investigations because we expect that there will be accomplices. I mean there will be people who aided, who abetted, who procured, who facilitated, and who sponsored these suspects who were arrested.

“We also recovered a total number of four weapons of different mix. This is also a subject of a very wide investigation. Life ammunitions were also recovered in the process of recovering those weapons. A total number of 58 voter cards that were in unlawful possession of a suspect, some stolen or illegally, illicitly acquired BVAS machines, were equally recovered, while we fully recovered some amounts in cash.

“This is a summary of everything we’ve done with our arrest and recoveries. But like I said earlier, we expect that as we deep in and continue and expand our investigation, that we will be able to pick more persons.”

Ostensibly to checkmate outbreak of violence, Mba said the Police had activated its post- election strategies which included massive patrol of the state and show of force. He urged Edo people to continue to conduct themselves in a peaceful manner just like they did before and during the election, assuring them of their safety.

He said, “Now that the elections are over, we have activated our post- election strategies. We are commencing massive patrols of the state. We’re putting in place a strategy that will give rise to high visibility policing. We will be conducting confidence- building patrols, show of force, and the protection of all critical assets of the state. We will be paying very special attention to public spaces, and we will be paying very special attention to INEC facilities and government facilities

“That is what we’ve been doing in the last 48 hours. As we are all witnesses to the peaceful elections here in Edo State, I want to therefore seize this opportunity to appreciate very deeply the good people of Edo for the commendable manner in which they have conducted themselves throughout the course of the election.

“I want, in a very special way, on behalf of the Inspector General Police, thank the people for having a very big trust in us and for working with us throughout the course of the election, pre, during, and now that we are in the post-election phase. I also want to thank officers and men of the Nigerian Police, members of the armed forces and other law enforcement agencies who supported us massively, in the course of the election”.

On the conduct of police personnel during the election, DIG Mba said “I will say without mincing words that officers and men of the Nigerian Police, supported by personnel of other law enforcement agencies, did excellently well during the election. Throughout the election, there was no single threat recorded.

“The election was violence-free. There was no recorded incident of the kidnap, assault or molestation of any INEC staff or other persons, or other stakeholders involved in the election. There was no recorded incident of arson. There was no recorded incident of serious assault on the police or members of other law enforcement agencies. We were able to keep the land, the air and the waterways safe.

“Citizens were able to go out to cast their vote with minimal incidents. In the course of this election, officers and men of the Nigerian Police and members of other law enforcement agencies conducted themselves in line with standard best practices for policing the election. We were politically neutral…

“We want to appeal to citizens who have so far conducted themselves excellently well to continue in that regard. You have nothing to fear. You have nothing to worry about. Just continue to conduct yourself within the ambit of the law

“We know that a lot of Edo citizens who returned to cast their votes will equally be returning back to their different places of abode. In that regard, we will be strengthening security around the highways to ensure that their journey or their traveling out of the state will be safe.

“We equally want to thank members of the press for placing their different news media at our disposal and helping us to communicate proactively in real time with members of the public, as well as giving us feedback from the fields, and for working with us throughout the course of his elections.”