By Richards Nzemeke
#TrackNigeria: The Rivers Police Command on Thursday assured people of Rivers that the 2019 general elections would not be
Mr Usman Belel, the Commissioner of Police in Rivers, gave the assurance at a media briefing in Port Harcourt.
The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) recalls that past elections in the state were allegedly characterised by violence, leading to the death of many people.
The police chief said that the command had deployed 15, 544 police officers for the Saturday elections in the state.
“The narrative must change in Rivers elections.
“There will be a radical departure from the elections usually characterised by violence.
“We shall get it right this time. Rivers will outlive the elections.
“On our part, we promised to be neutral, apolitical, professional and provide level playing field for all political parties to exercise their franchise,” he said.
According to Belel, the command will do everything humanly possible to ensure free, credible elections, devoid of violence.
He said that there would be no free movement of people and vehicles, both on land and waterways, on Friday, Feb.15 and until 4.00p.m on Saturday.
According to him, Very Important Personalities (VIPs) and politicians are barred from going to voting centres with their security details.
Belel said that politicians have been warned to desist from moving from place to place on election day.
He said that police and other security agencies in the state would patrol and arrest offenders of the restriction order.
The commissioner said that all entries and exist points of the state would be blocked during the election period. (NAN)
