A total number of 43,157 Security personnel will be deployed for the November 16 governorship election in Ondo State.
This was disclosed by the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, on Friday at the signing of peace accord by political parties in Akure, the state capital.
Egbetokun, who was represented by the Deputy Inspector General of Police in charge of South West, Silvester Alabi, said a total of 34,657 policemen would be deployed for the poll.
According to him, the policemen would be supported by 8,500 personnel from other security agencies.
The IGP disclosed that the police force would provide enough armoured vehicles, carriers, drones and others to complement the strength of the state police command.
He said: “The Nigeria Police will deploy a total of 34,657 personnel to the polling units, wards/LGA collation centres as well as other strategic locations.
“It is expected that Four (4) Police personnel will be deployed at each polling unit, which then implies that 15,732 conventional police personnel will be required for the 3,933 polling units and voting points in the State.
“This will be complemented by the Armed Forces, the Intelligence Security Agencies and other sister Security Agencies.
“A total of Eight thousand, five hundred (8,500) personnel from the Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Correctional Service, Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Federal Road Safety Corps and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency will be deployed to augment the Police strength.
“This will bring the total number of security personnel deployed for the election to 43,157.“
Egbetokun warned against violence and appealed to political parties, candidates and their supporters to conduct themselves in an orderly manner before, during and after the election.
The peace accord was signed by the 18 political parties that will be participating in the coming election.
They promised to ensure a peaceful election and accept the results if the poll could be seen to be free and fair.
Former Head of State and chairman of the National Peace Committee, Abdulsalam Abubakar, urged the political parties and their candidates to shun undemocratic practices such as vote-buying.
Abubakar noted that maintaining the prevailing peaceful atmosphere in the country was very important at this trying period.
The chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Professor Mahmood Yakubu, in a goodwill message, said no security incidents had been reported so far in the state.
Mahmood promised improved logistics on election day and asked the participating political parties not to disobey the signed agreement.