Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) and the Police Command have relocated some polling units to six local government headquarters for safety ahead of today, Saturday, September 28 council election in the State
According to ANSIEC and the police, the action was taken in an effort to beef up security formations in the six most volatile local government areas of the state.
Anambra State Police Commissioner, Obono Nnaghe Itam and the Commissioner in charge of Information and Public Relations in ANSIEC, Mr Anthony Nnalue disclosed this during a joint press briefing in Awka on Friday (yesterday, September 27) .
Nnalue said that the six local government areas affected are Ogbaru, Ihiala, Nnewi South, Idemili South, Orumba North and South, assuring that vehicles have been provided to carry voters from the distressed areas to where they would cast their votes.
He said that the Commission had already discussed modalities with the security operatives on how to ensure the safety of voters.
“The ANSIEC is ready for the September 28th local government election and all materials have been transported to the LGAs on Friday
“We know some difficult areas and we are going to work with security operatives to transport them with the commuter vehicles to where they are going to vote “.
“It is not that something would happen but people are afraid to come out so we are providing them security and vehicles for them to go and vote,” he noted.
The Commissioner of Police also said that there are some red light areas and terrains that have been beefed up for more security formations such as Azia, Lilu, Iseke and Uli in Ihiala LGA.
He said that their polling units have been relocated to the LGA headquarters for effective and efficient watch during the election hours.
“We also have places like Oba in Idemili South, Ogbunka , Owerezukala , Umunze in Orumba South and a few areas in Orumba North and South as well as Nnewi South areas.
“Ogbaru council area inclusive and we have Amiyi, Ochuche, Agiri Ogidi, Ogwuiklele and Ogwuaniocha; voters here would go to Atani Council headquarters to cast their votes.
“There would be no movement from 6 am to 4 pm on the election day and there would be joint security operations with other sister security organisations in the state,” Itam said.
The police boss urged the electorate to be law-abiding and go and cast their votes peacefully.
“It is also important to state that all the borders of Anambra state would remain closed from hours of 6 am to 4 pm when the voting must have been concluded,” CP Itam was quoted by the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) as saying.
