The Nigerian Police Force says it arrested 203 persons for various electoral offenses during the February 25 Presidential and National Assembly elections and recovered 18 firearms from political thugs.
The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba, disclosed this at a Force Headquarters, Abuja meeting. In a statement issued by the Force Public Relations Officer, CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the IGP said that the suspects were arrested in 185 major incidents.
Mr. Usman Baba praised the professionalism of policemen deployed for the election, and disclose that all the cases were at various stages of investigation at the Nigerian Police Electoral Offences Desks, assuring that it would be concluded and processed to the Legal Department of the Independent National Electoral Commission for prosecution.
He said “IGP applauded the high level of resilience and utmost professionalism displayed by Officers and men of the Nigeria Police as well as other security agencies in the course of the election security operations in line with the Reviewed Standard Operational Guidelines and Rules for Police Officers and Other Security Agents on Electoral Duties which was issued to all officers in the countdown to the election operations.
According to the statement, “The IGP noted that about one hundred and eighty-five (185) major incidents were responded to by the Police across the country during the elections, while a total of two hundred and three (203) offenders linked to various electoral offences and sundry crimes have so far been arrested, and eighteen (18) firearms of various calibres were recovered from political thugs during the exercise.”
