Arrest vote buyers, IGP orders policemen

Mike Odiegwu, Yenagoa

 

INSPECTOR-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, on Thursday ordered policemen on election duty in Bayelsa State on November 16 to arrest politicians who move cash to polling units to buy votes.

Adamu spoke at the Bayelsa State Police Command, Yenagoa, when he led an entourage of senior police officers from the Force Headquarters, Abuja, to sensitise policemen and other stakeholders on the election.

The police boss insisted that vote buying was illegal and those engaging in it should be apprehended to face the wrath of the law.

Addressing policemen at the command headquarters, he said: “We are used to elections. We have done a lot of elections and we know the rules and regulations. We want to encourage you to maintain what you have done during the last general elections.

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“At the general elections, the police were adjudged the best. Different organisations of international observers came to my office to give us commendations. The feat should be repeated.

“You should be neutral and should not allow anybody to entice you with anything that will make you to do what you are not supposed to do. It is when you engage in what you are not supposed to do that you enter into problems.

“So, you should try to be professional in your polling units. Make sure you protect all the INEC materials in your polling units. Protect the INEC officials and make sure nobody is molested.

“After the electorate cast their votes, you are supposed to follow the officer to where he would submit his results and ensure that nothing happens to the results.