Controversy as IGP, CP Lagos restriction time table varies

* 36,204 personnel deploys in Lagos

Controversy today trails the press briefing conducted by the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Kayode Aderanti and other sister forces, where movement time tables, presented to citizens of Lagos, sharply varies from the one given by the Inspector General of Police, Mr. Suleiman Abba.

This was even as Aderanti disclosed that the police, army, Department of State Service(DSS), Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps(NSCDC), immigration and others have teamed up to ensure that the Saturday and April polls were violence and hitch free. 
The joint security agencies said, together, they were able to raise 36,204 personnel, drawn from all the forces in Nigeria to man the election.

It will be recalled that just this week, Abba stated: “As part of efforts to ensure adequate security in the forthcoming general elections across all the Federation on Saturday 28^th March, 2015 and 11^th April, 2015, the restriction on vehicular movements are as follows;  March 28, 2015, 8.00am – 5.00pm only, April 11, 2015 8.00am – 5.00pm only. This total restriction of movements order applies to all, except for Ambulances, Fire service trucks and others on essential duties. Consequently, travellers and citizens who intend to use roads on these days and hours are advised to plan alternative times for their travelling.”

Just toterday, the number one policeman in Lagos came up with another time table, while revealing steps taken to ensure a violence free election.

His words: “Parents are warned to speak to their kids and wards who would to be used to perpetrate violence. We’re ready to arrest such persons. 6am- 6pm is the restriction time for movement. There’ll be total lock down. Try and complete your movement before 6am. We however reassure those who are essential workers, that their security would be guaranteed.”

Revealing other measures on ground, Aderanti said that 500 patrol vehicles, 100 buses, 100 motorcycles, seven trucks, three Black Maria trucks, one luxury bus, three Armoured Personnel Carriers(APC), one in each senatorial zone, five gun boats to man the waters, two helicopters for aerial surveillance and patrol, have been deployed for the election.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) in Lagos, Mr. Akin Orebiyi said that speed and commercial boats and canoes are ready to take voting material to those living in the waterway areas.

Responding to question on rivalry among sister forces likely to affect effective usage of man power to check violence, Lagos State Director for the DSS, Mr. Ben Ocher, said: “We’ll that are here, will talk to our foot soldiers. If we do it right here, they won’t deviate. There’ll be a neat working conduct, which would cut across board.”

Brigadier General A.M Sabo, Commander 9^th Brigade, Nigerian Army, reacting to question on whether army was not flouting court injunction by planning to take part in the election, said that the army was specifically called for a national assignment and as such, would heed the call for the sake of Nigeria.

All the forces top officers insisted that Nigerians should go to the polls with optimism, believing that there wouldn’t be bloodbath. According to them, patriotism should be the watch word of everyone.