Ondo 2020: IGP Orders Restriction Of Vehicular Movement

As part of efforts by the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) to ensure effective coordination of public order and safety during the Saturday’s gubernatorial election in Ondo State, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Abubakar Adamu has ordered the restriction of vehicular movement from 11:59 PM on Friday, to 6 pm on Saturday in Ondo State.

This was contained in a statement made available to newsmen in Abuja on Friday by the Force Public Relations Officer, (FPRO), Frank Mba, a Deputy Commissioner of Police, (DCP).

According to the statement, the IGP reiterated that “the vehicular restriction order, among other things, is aimed at preventing political actors and trouble-makers from freely engaging in unpatriotic acts – circulation and use of illicit arms and hard drugs, movement of political thugs from contiguous States to Ondo State and disruption of the electoral processes, etc – which are inimical to the dictates of the electoral laws”.

He called on the residents of the state to go out in their numbers on the day of the election and exercise their franchise, assuring that adequate security arrangement has been emplaced to secure the public space for the election.

The IGP also enjoined the citizens to bear any inconveniences arising from the restriction order, noting that the order was part of necessary sacrifices being put in place to ensure and sustain democracy in the country.

He, however, warned that anybody who “engages in snatching of ballot boxes, vote-buying, vote-selling, hate speeches, and any other act capable of compromising the integrity of the electoral process will be brought to book”.