Ondo Poll: "We are battle ready against political violence" - security agencies

Brigadier General Zakari Abubakar, Commander 32 Artillery Brigade, Akure

Security agencies including the Nigeria Army, Nigeria Navy, Nigeria Police Force, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, and other paramilitary has vowed to resist the conduct of violence by political thugs, militants, and other criminals during the forthcoming gubernatorial election scheduled for Oct. 10 in Ondo State.

The security agencies stated this on Thursday in Igbokoda shortly after the security patrol tagged "Operation Show Force" which began in Igbokoda to Akotogbo, Arogbo, Asere, Idiogba, Bolowo among other riverine communities of the state.

 The team of the security agencies also destroyed a camp of the hoodlums along the coastal line of the riverine areas while on a patrol tour.

While speaking with journalists, Brig.Gen. Zakari Abubakar, Commander, 32 Artillery Brigade, Nigeria Army, Akure said that "Operation Show Force" was to ensure a violent free, and peaceful conduct of the governorship election in the state.

He said that the operation was also to tell residents of the state the security agency would not condone any form of thuggery, hooliganism, and criminality during the elections.

Abubakar said "Operation Show Force was to show the determination of the Army, Navy and other security agencies that they are battle-ready against the perpetration of violence during the forthcoming election in the state.

"We destroyed one of their numerous camps to send a message to them that we are watching them, we urge them to relax and go to their areas to cast their votes peacefully without any hindrance or mayhem,"

Similarly, Navy Capt. Shuaibu Muhammed-Ahmed, the Commanding Officer, Forward Operating Base (FOB), Nigerian Navy, Igbokoda assured residents in the riverine communities of their safety before, during, and after the elections.

According to him, 'we are here to secure their environment for them as lives and properties will be protected" while also urging voters not to panic while exercising their franchise at the polls.

He went further to state that "The voters should not be afraid of coming out to cast their votes because we will be on the ground to secure their environment by providing adequate security for them and our personnel have been briefed on what to do as anything short of that will not be accepted."