Edo poll: Police arrest six, recover illegal BIVAS machine, firearms

The Nigeria Police has said that six persons were arrested on Saturday during the Edo governorship election, while stolen or illegally acquired BIVAS machines were also recovered.

The Deputy Inspector General of Police who was in charge of the election, Frank Mba, stated this on Monday in Benin at a press briefing with selected media outfits.

He stated that weapons and 58 voter cards that were in unlawful possession of a suspect were also recovered.

He said, “Yes, there were arrests made. Six arrests persons were arrested. We expect this number to shoot up in the course of investigations because we expect that there will be accomplices. I mean there will be people who aided, who abetted, who procured, who facilitated and who sponsored these suspects who were arrested.

“We also recovered a total number of four weapons of different mixes. This is also the subject of a very wide investigation. Life ammunition was also recovered in the process of recovering those weapons.

“A total number of 58 voter cards that were in the unlawful position of a suspect, some stolen or illegally illicitly acquired BIVAS machines were equally recovered. While we fully recovered some amounts in cash.

“This is a summary of everything we’ve done with our arrest and recoveries, but like I said earlier we expect that as we deep in and continue and expand our investigation we will be able to pick more persons.”

Mba stated that the Police have activated the police election station, which includes massive patrol of the state and show of force.

He commended the Edo people to continue to conduct themselves peacefully just like they did before and during the election, assuring them of their safety.

He added, “Now that the elections are over. We have activated our post-election strategies. We are commencing massive patrols of the states. We’re putting in place a strategy that will give rise to high-visibility policing. We will be conducting confidence-building patrols, a show of force and the protection of all critical assets of the state. We will be paying very special attention to public spaces and we will be paying very special attention to INEC facilities and government facilities.

“That’s what we’ve been doing in the last 48 hours. As we are all witnesses to the peaceful elections here in Edo State I want to therefore seize this opportunity to appreciate very deeply the good people of Edo for the commendable manner in which they have conducted themselves throughout the election.

“I want in a very special way on behalf of the Inspector General Police for having a very big trust in us and for working with us throughout the election, pre-, during and now that we are in the post-election phase. I also want to thank officers and men of the Nigerian Police, members of the armed forces and other law enforcement agencies who supported us massively and the course of the election.

“Gentlemen of the press, I know you will want me to give an assessment of the conduct of our personnel in this election and I will say without mincing words that officers and men of the Nigerian Police supported by personnel of other law enforcement agencies did excellently well during the election. Throughout the election, there was no single threat recorded.”

Mba added that the election was violence-free, without any record of kidnap, assault or molestation of INEC officials or voters.

He said, “The election was violent free. There was no recorded incident of the kidnap, assault or molestation of any INEC staff or other persons or other stakeholders involved in the election. There was no recorded incident of arson. There was no recorded incident of serious assault on the police or members of other law enforcement agencies. We were able to keep the land, the air and the waterways safe.

“Citizens were able to go out to cast their vote with minimal incidents. In the course of this election, officers and men of the Nigerian Police and members of other law enforcement agencies conducted themselves in line with standards, and best practices for policing the election. We were politically neutral.

“There was no incident of misuse of firearms. We were fair, but we were firm. We were tough on the criminals, but we were protective of the law-abiding and so it was that sense of pride that I brief you today. We want to appeal to citizens, who have so far conducted themselves excellently well to continue in that regard. You have nothing to fear. You do have not to worry about it. Just continue to conduct yourself within the ambit of the law. We know that a lot of Edo citizens, who returned to cast their votes, will equally be returning to the different places of abode.

“In that regard, we will be strengthening security around the highways to ensure that their journey or their travelling out of the states will be safe. We equally want to thank members of the press for placing their different news media at our disposal and helping us to communicate proactively in real time with members of the public as well as giving us feedback from the fields and for walking with us throughout his elections.”