The Inspector General of Police (IGP), Kayode Egbetokun, has issued a ban on the Western Nigeria Security Network (Amotekun) and other vigilante groups from participating in the upcoming Ondo State governorship election. The election is scheduled for November 16, 2024, and will involve 17 political parties.
In a statement released on Sunday by Force Spokesperson Muyiwa Adejobi, the IGP emphasized that only federal security agencies and members of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) would be authorized to engage in election-related security operations.
“The IGP reaffirmed the established guidelines governing election security management in Nigeria, stressing that no quasi-security organizations, including state-backed groups like Amotekun or vigilante corps, will be allowed to participate in the electoral process,” the statement read.
Egbetokun reiterated that the security of the election is a responsibility entrusted solely to the Nigeria Police Force and other federal security agencies, in collaboration with ICCES members. “The Nigeria Police Force, along with other federal security agencies, is fully prepared to ensure that the Ondo State gubernatorial election is conducted smoothly, without incident, and in line with the highest standards of electoral integrity,” he added.
To ensure robust security, the IGP has ordered the deployment of officers from specialized units such as the Special Intervention Squad, Police Mobile Force, Counter-Terrorism Unit, Special Protection Unit, Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit, and K-9 Unit. The statement also mentioned that aerial patrols would be conducted using police helicopters, while gunboats would patrol the state’s waterways and riverine areas to secure all terrains.
