Poll - INEC Raises Fear Over Inadequate Security

Leadership

1 April 2011

Poll - INEC Raises Fear Over Inadequate Security

Abuja — Barely 24 hours to the start of the 2011 general elections, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has decried the number of security personnel available for the elections, saying that the number is grossly inadequate.

The commission's fears were expressed by the National Commissioner in Charge of Election Observation and Monitoring, Dr. Ishmael Igbani, at a one-day briefing of election observers at the Bolingo Hotels, Abuja.

Igbani, who represented the INEC chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega, said that local observers would have to be responsible for their own security as the number of police officials for the polls were inadequate to man the 119, 973 polling units across the country.

"The police personnel we have are inadequate for the polling units. We know that there is not enough manpower to deploy everywhere, so other paramilitary agencies, including the military, are to deploy their personnel. So we cannot start talking of security for observers, especially local observers."