Anambra Guber election under threat — INEC

ABUJA – Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), on Tuesday said the November 6 Anambra governorship election is under threat. Prof. Yakubu, who summoned an emergency meeting of the Inter-agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) at INEC headquarters, Abuja, warned that the activities of secessionist non-state actors is threatening the conduct of the governorship election following the heightened human and material losses witnessed in and around the state since the committee met last month.

He explained that report reaching the commission suggests that “the stated goal of many of the attackers is that the governorship election scheduled for 6th November 2021 must not hold”.

Expressing deep concern of the commission, the INEC boss said it is seriously concerned about the safety of INEC staff, ad hoc staff of the commission as well as security personnel who are also being targeted by the attackers.

“The commission is particularly concerned about the safety of voters and election day staff, including security officials who have also become the targets of these attacks.

“The thousands of young Nigerians that we intend to deploy for the election, most of them National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members and university students, need to be reassured of their personal safety.

“At the same time, deployment for the election will involve the movement of huge consignments of sensitive and non-sensitive materials to the 21 local government areas of the state, 326 wards or registration areas and 5,720 polling units.

“That means over 6,000 locations to be protected. If we add that to about 26,000 officials that will be deployed for the election, we begin to appreciate the magnitude of the challenge of securing the Anambra governorship election which is only thirty-two days from today.”

Meanwhile, the National Security Adviser (NSA), Babagana Mongonu, has reassured that the security agencies will secure lives and property before, during and after the election scheduled for November 6.

Represented by Salisu Galadima, the NSA acknowledged that the violent activities of separatist group in the South-East constitute clear and present danger to the nation’s democratic consolidation, noting that the group is bent on scuttling the election.

He, however, assured that the government is committed to the protection of lives of law abiding citizens in Anambra State and called on peace loving sons and daughters of South-East extraction to join hands with constituted authority to promote peace and development in the region.

The NSA said already the effort to ensure a secure poll on November 6 has flagged of with the Operation Golden Dawn, recently launched in Enugu, adding that government is working with governors of the states in the region to address the underlying economic issues driving insecurity across the country.

It would be recalled that on Sunday, the offices of the Department of State Services (DSS) and Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) were set ablaze while the country home of Joe Igbokwe, an aide of Governor Babajide Sanwo- Olu, was also set ablaze in Nnewi, Anambra State.

Igbokwe accused IPOB of being responsible. Last week, five police officers were killed in an attack at a divisional police station in Ajali, Orumba North Local Government Area of the state while the convoy of the House of Representatives member representing Nnewi North, Nnewi South/ Ekwusigo Constituency, Chris Azubogu, was also attacked by gunmen and one of his drivers shot dead.

The attacks occurred two days after Dr. Chike Akunyili, the husband of the late former Director-General of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Dora Akunyili, was killed by gunmen in Anambra.

On September 27, gunmen stormed a political rally of the All Progressives Congress (APC) where they killed a man and wounded several others.

They also set ablaze a car belonging to a leader of Professor Chukwuma Soludo’s group, Dr. Nelson Omenugha, at Nnobi in Idemili South Local Government Area of the state. IGP Orders Posting Of Echeng As New Commissioner Of Police Meanwhile, the Inspector- General of Police, Usman Alkali Baba, has ordered the immediate posting of a new Commissioner of Police (CP) to Anambra State.

The new CP, Echeng Eworo Echeng, according to a statement by CP Frank Mba, Force Public Relations Officer, Force Headquarters, takes over from CP Tony Olofu, who has been redeployed to the Force Headquarters, Abuja. Mba said the IGP has also ordered the deployment of a detachment of NPF Special Forces to Anambra State to bolster and complement the ongoing peace-building efforts of the Nigeria Police Operation Restore Peace in Anambra State.

He said the IGP, who is particularly concerned with the renewed incidents of attacks on innocent individuals and symbol of state authority in the state, ordered the new Commissioner of Police to mobilise both kinetic and non-kinetic law enforcement and crime fighting approaches to reverse the negative trend, reclaim public spaces from hoodlums and restore public peace in the state.

CP Echeng, who until his recent posting, was the Commissioner of Police in-charge of Bayelsa State, holds a first degree in History from the University of Maiduguri.

An experienced peace-builder, he received extensive training on global peace support operations at Mission Training Cell, Kielce, Poland, among other tactical and leadership courses.

He has also served as a former Police Component Commander, Joint Task Force, Operation Delta Safe, Deputy Commissioner of Police incharge of Zonal CID, Zone-13, Ukpo, Anambra State, among other key positions.

“The IGP has charged the new Police Chief to work with other stakeholders and patriotic forces in Anambra State to restore law and order leveraging his professional experience.

The IGP also called on Ndi-Anambra to support and cooperate with the new Commissioner of Police in his task of protecting the lives and property of all”, Mba said, noting that “his posting is with immediate effect”.