Ahead of the by-elections in some parts of the country on Saturday, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has directed the deployment of senior officers to ensure a hitch-free exercise.
The affected states are Jigawa, Edo, Ogun, Oyo, Adamawa, Anambra, Kaduna, Kano, Taraba, Kogi, Niger, Enugu, and Zamfara.
A statement issued on Friday by the Force Public Relations Officer, Olumuyiwa Ogunjobi, said “Sequel to the forthcoming by-election in 13 states across the federation scheduled to hold tomorrow, August 16, 2025, the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Kayode Adeolu Egbetokun, has reiterated his earlier directives on the deployment of operational logistics to the affected states and local government areas where the elections would hold to provide an enabling environment for a free and fair elections.
“To ensure smooth elections, the IGP has directed the deployment of senior officers of the rank of Assistant Inspector-General of Police and Commissioners of Police to assist state commissioners of police to ensure proper supervision over the electoral process for a smooth and hitch free election, while officers and men of the Police Mobile Force, Special Intervention Squad, Force Intelligence Department and other tactical units have equally been deployed”.
The IGP also ordered the restriction of all forms of vehicular movement on roads, waterways, and other forms of transportation, from 12 am to 6 pm on election day within affected local government areas except those on essential services, including officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), accredited media, and electoral observers, ambulances responding to medical emergencies, and firefighters.
Egbetokun reiterated the ban on all security aides to VIPs and escorts from accompanying their principals and politicians to polling booths and collation centres during the election.
He also noted that state-established and owned security outfits or organisations, quasi-security units, and privately-owned guards and security outfits were also barred from participating in election security management.
The IGP urged all officers deployed for the special duty to ensure compliance with the NPF standard operational protocols for elections and further urged all citizens to be law-abiding during and after the elections.
He assured that all necessary security arrangements had been provided to ensure that the right to vote is not obstructed.
