The Oyo State Commissioner of Police, CP Adebola Hamsat, has allayed the fear of residents on security of lives and properties as the state’s local government Councils election is fast approaching.
CP Adebola, while speaking on Wednesday, during his visit to the office of the Chairman, Oyo State Independent Electoral Commission (OYSIEC), Agodi Quarters, Ibadan, expressed the readiness and commitment of the command to ensuring a peaceful environment across the length and breath of the state on the day of election.
According to him,” the visit was to know the level of the preparedness of OYSIEC, discuss areas of concerns and share intelligence to have a hitch free election.
He hinted that the police will collaborate with its sister’s agencies and strategize with a view to ensuring that the election is conducted in a peaceful atmosphere.
CP Adebola described local government administration as where residents enjoyed the real dividends of democracy, admonishing eligible voters not to boycott the election for any reason.
He assured the electoral umpire of continued Collaboration and support, noting that the assignment given to the command by OYSIEC will be done professionally and with utmost dedication.
“We came here today as a follow-up to the previous meeting we had with the Commission, just like we promised the other time OYSIEC visited us that the engagement was going to be continuous.
“ We are here actually to inform the Commission of our preparedness for the election and also to see possible areas where we need to do better planning, put in better strategy, to see that the election is peaceful and conducted under a very peaceful atmosphere”
” We should not have apathy based on security concerns, the Nigeria police force with other sister security agencies, we are ready to police the election, the command assures professional competence, and by God’s grace, everything will go well. “
In his remarks, the OYSIEC Chairman, Aare Isiaka Abiola Olagunju, SAN, appealed to the command to intensify its efforts for residents to have confidence that the election will be peaceful.
He harped on the need for security agencies in the state to ensure anyone who breaches election guidelines on the day of the election did not go unpunished.
While appreciating the police for their visit, Olagunju hinted that arrangements are ongoing for the signing of a peace accord by political parties and other relevant stakeholders ahead of the election, scheduled for 27th April, 2024.