Police in Anambra State has imposed a 24-hour restriction of movement ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.
In an interview with journalists at the Amawbia Police Headquarters, Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of Operations, Zaki Ahmed, stated that the directive would take effect at midnight on Friday (12 am)
For safety and a smooth election, he said, security measures have been put in place.
He maintained that emergency response teams have been set up in the State’s 21 LGAs.
Allegations by the Anambra State government that the police were planning to destabilize the APGA party by arresting government officials were denounced as fake news by the Deputy Inspector General.
The force’s public relations officer, Mr. Frank Mba, urged the media to assist security forces by providing accurate and fact-checked information.
Concerns regarding the well-being of election officers were addressed by civil society organizations at the press briefing, as well as the necessity for security personnel to treat individuals with respect for their fundamental human rights.
Anambra Decides
The 2021 Anambra State gubernatorial election will take place on November 6, 2021.
Concerns have been raised over the activities of the Indigenous People of Biafra, a now proscribed group enforcing a sit-at-home order during the election period, though the group has come out to deny it, saying they will only embark on civil disobedience if their leader, Nnamdi Kanu, who has been in detention since July, was not released.
The Centre for Democracy and Development warned that the sit-at-home orders and the potential of IPOB violence against people dismissing the order could lead to low turnout and electoral violence.
RN
