By Efe Onodjae
The Lagos State Police Command has announced the deployment of over 30,000 officers across the state to ensure a smooth and secure conduct of Saturday’s local government elections. Commissioner of Police, CP Olohundare Jimoh, revealed this while speaking to journalists during a pre-election security briefing in Lagos.
He explained that the deployment includes 20,000 officers already serving in the state, along with an additional 10,000 personnel approved by the Inspector General of Police to strengthen operations during the polls. The officers will be stationed across the state’s 13,325 polling units located in all 20 local government areas and 33 local council development areas.
CP Jimoh emphasized that the police are fully prepared for all phases of the electoral process—before, during, and after voting. He confirmed that security assessments had been carried out, potential trouble spots identified, and measures put in place to prevent disruptions.
The Commissioner credited the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) for playing a vital role in coordinating efforts between the police, the military, and other security agencies. He noted that the security setup includes marine police, the Rapid Response Squad, Lagos State Taskforce, and other tactical units, all strategically positioned across both land and coastal regions.
He assured the public that no polling unit would be left without security presence. While officers at the polling stations will not carry weapons, armed intervention squads will remain on standby nearby in case of any emergencies. Earlier in the day, the command conducted a show of force across Lagos to display readiness and discourage criminal behavior.
To minimize the risk of election day violence, CP Jimoh announced a restriction of vehicular movement from 6:00am to 3:00pm, noting the change from the previously announced 3:00am start was made to accommodate emergency services and international travelers.
He sent a strong warning to political thugs and criminal elements, stating that anyone caught attempting to disrupt the elections would face the full force of the law. He specifically mentioned that previous issues of ballot box snatching in areas like Apapa and Ijora have been addressed and would not happen again.
Reaffirming the police command’s neutrality, he warned civil society groups against spreading baseless accusations of partisanship, insisting that the force remains professional and focused solely on maintaining law and order.
The Commissioner also called on residents to come out peacefully and vote, assuring that special arrangements were in place to support persons living with disabilities. He urged any dissatisfied parties to seek redress through legal channels and warned that any post-election violence would be met with lawful prosecution.
