Ibrahim Idris, the inspector-general of police, says the withdrawal of the
security aides attached to Anambra governor Willie Obiano was to prevent
the re-occurrence of past elections.
Idris gave the explanation during election stakeholders’ forum organised
by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Tuesday in
Awka.
Obiano had during the forum raised the alarm that he woke up on Tuesday
morning to find that his ADC had been directed by the police high command
to vacate him.
He said the directive had put his life in danger, describing the act as an
unacceptable and unfair treatment to his person and office.
The governor noted that his standing for re-election did not remove the
fact that he was the chief security officer of the state.
But the IGP said the withdrawal was based on the previous experience
whereby the military caught an ADC to an unnamed governor escorting a
vehicle loaded with arms on election day.
“We do not mean anything bad to Anambra governor on this action; his ADC
will be returned to him early Sunday morning after the governorship
election on Saturday Nov.18.
“We have equally withdrawn all the policemen attached to political
appointees, Local Government Chairmen and others in Anambra till after the
election,” he said.
Idris also said the police force had deployed 26, 000 personnel, 300
vehicles, three helicopters and 15 gunboats for the poll.