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Tag: Heavy Security

  • Buhari’s Visit: Heavy security presence in Lagos

    Buhari’s Visit: Heavy security presence in Lagos

     

    The Presidential Wing of  Murtala Muhammed Airport, Lagos, is currently witnessing a heavy presence of security personnel owing to President Buhari’s planned visit to Lagos state today.

    The president will be in Lagos for a two-day visit and inauguration of some projects in the state.

    The president is expected to inaugurate several projects in Lagos from January 23 to January 24th.

    He is expected to inaugurate the Lekki Deep Sea Port, a Public-Private Partnership (PPP) venture between the Federal and Lagos State governments and a private company called Tolaram.

    The president is also expected to inaugurate the 32-metric tons per-hour Lagos Rice Mill, one of the largest in the world, and the 18.75-kilometre, six-lane rigid-pavement Eleko Junction to Epe Expressway.

    He is expected to inaugurate the first phase of the iconic Blue Line and the John Randle Centre for Yoruba Culture and History.

    Security personnel from the Army, Navy, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Police, and Air Force, among several others, were at strategic locations at the presidential wing awaiting the president’s arrival.

    Personnel from the Lagos State Emergency Management Agency (LASEMA) and Lagos State Fire and Rescue Service were also at the venue.

    Traffic wardens were also observed at the roundabout and expressway near the presidential wing of the airport, ensuring the free flow of traffic around the axis.

  • Ekiti election: Mass turnout of voters at polling units

    Unprecedented numbers of voters on Saturday thronged various polling units in different towns, villages and hamlets in Ekiti to perform their civic rights in the ongoing governorship election.

    Also, there were combined security personnel on the ground to protect the lives and property in different parts of the state and as well their presence was noticed at both far and near the polling centres.

    At the Ekiti office of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), there was heavy presence of security agents to forestall any eventuality.

    Newsmen while on monitoring of the polling units, report that security agents arrived many polling units as early as 7.20 a.m.

    Aside the police, other security agencies and outfits providing security, include Civil Defence Corps, National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) and men of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC).

    At some of the border towns linking Ekiti with other states, military men were strategically stationed with officers and men, keeping vigil and conducting search on vehicle owners and occupants.

    The restriction placed on human and vehicular movement during election was strictly obeyed by residents and travellers alike, as most inter-township roads were empty.

    This development compelled many voters to trek long distances to their polling units, as there were no taxi or commercial motorcycle operators to convey them.

    Besides, all markets, shops and eateries were under lock and key.

    Some of the places visited included Ado-Ekiti, Ikere-Ekiti, Efon-Alaaye, in Efon Local Government area Ifaki-Ekiti, the home town of Mr Segun Oni, the Governorship candidate of the Social Democratic Party (SDP).

    Other areas were Ise-Ekiti, the home town of former Minister of State for Works, Dayo Adeyeye, Emure-Ekiti, Ido-Ekiti and Omuo-Ekiti, hometown of Sen. Biodun Olujimi of the PDP and Rep. Femi Bamisile of the APC.

    In many of the places visited, scores of voters were seen already on queues, waiting for the attention of the electoral officers.

    Those sighted among the crowd of the enthusiastic voters, include students and artisans of between 18 and 20 years bracket, old people and a handful of expectant mothers.

    It was observed that in most of the places, officials including ad hoc staff, deployed by INEC arrived only few minutes after 8.00 a.m, while some of them have no chairs to sit on.

    Newsmen reports that 16 candidates from different political parties are slugging it out in today’s election, with only a female candidate, Mrs Kemi Elebute-Halle of ADP.

    Others include candidates of ACCORD, AAC, ADC, APC, APGA, APM, APO, LO, NNPP, NRM, PDP, PRP, SDP, YPP and ZLP.

    According to statistics at the disposal of newsmen, over 17,000 policemen were deployed for the election, with NSCDC deploying 9,747, while the army and others also deployed appreciable figures.

    When contacted, Mrs Morolake Odebunmi, the Public Relations Officer of INEC, told newsmen that there was nothing much to do at the INEC office this morning.

  • APC explains presence of heavy security at secretariat

    APC explains presence of heavy security at secretariat

    The All Progressives Congress (APC) says the deployment of policemen to its National Secretary in Abuja, is to strengthen security at the building.

    Sen. John Akpanudoedehe, Secretary, APC Caretaker and Extra-ordinary Convention Planning Committee (CECPC) said this when he spoke with newsmen on Monday in Abuja.

    Akpanudoedehe said there was nothing to be worried about.

    According to him, the police deployment is to strengthen security at the party’s secretariat.

    ”The police are here to strengthen security for the leadership of Gov. Mai Mala Buni-led APC CECPC.

    “Whenever you have a security situation or report, you take precautions to protect lives and property.

    “APC cannot be embarrass because we are the national government, therefore, we take measures to forestall any negative happenings.

    “We have a security report, and you can’t expect us to call thugs to defend the national secretariat; the right thing to do is to inform the police and the State Security Service (SSS) and that is what we have done,” he said.

    The CECPC secretary said that the APC would never underestimate any security report or try to play it down.

    He added that the party would continue to take measures to protect lives and prosperity of its members and Nigerians generally.

    He also said that the party would begin to observe full compliance with COVID-19 protocols to prevent infections.

    Akpanudoedehe said that it was the responsibility of the CECPC, as managers of the party to put measures in place to protect lives and property.

    He, however, advised that people should not take anything for granted, saying that every security report must be taken seriously.

    “We must have to put everything in place, even the ones that is not verifiable.

    “What we consider to be threat is not what you consider to be threat, a mere word that you pass by, we would heighten it because we don’t want to be embarrass.

    “This is APC that produces the national government. We cannot embarrass the president, we cannot embarrass the government of APC and we cannot embarrass ourselves,” the party scribe said.

    He assured party members that the Buni-led CECPC was not in anyway threatened as being speculated in some quarters, adding that the chairman was as firm as ever.