Undercover police to man future polls

Armed undercover policemen will deploy to polling units in future elections to protect unarmed officers, according to a recommendation by the Police Service Commission. The commission says undercover police will prevent hoodlums and thungs storming polling units with weapons with intent to intimidate or kill and snatch ballot boxes. The report into police security during […]

Armed undercover policemen will deploy to polling units in future elections to protect unarmed officers, according to a recommendation by the Police Service Commission.

The commission says undercover police will prevent hoodlums and thungs storming polling units with weapons with intent to intimidate or kill and snatch ballot boxes.

The report into police security during March 28 and April 11 elections say polling units were seriously undermanned.

“There was an average of one Police man per polling unit with some units manned by two police men,” said Mike Okiro, chairman of the Police Service Commission.

“There were also few polling units without the presence of Police.”

The report also recommends siting armed police at junctions near polling units to ensure quick rescue of electoral officials and voting materials during voting.

Pat on shoulder

The report glowingly approves police conduct during voting.

It said officers said officers arrived early at duty posts and conducted themselves in orderly manner, describing them as “civil, courteous and professional.”

But it noted police officers were overwhelmed by large voter turnouts, citing polling units in Katsina and Ebonyi.

It also highlighted incidences of police misconduct, citing “drunkenness on election duty and other instances like Police men on election duties without name tags.”

The report indicated a “crying need” to inject more policemen into the force to address the obvious inadequacy of Police men in the country.