LG Polls: Polling units relocated in Anambra over insecurity

Anambra State Independent Electoral Commission (ANSIEC) and the Police Command have relocated some polling units to six Local Government Areas headquarters for safety ahead of the Saturday Council polls

The bodies said that  the actions was to  beef up security formations in the six most volatile local government areas of the state.

The duo of the Police Commissioner Nnaghe  in the state Itam and the Commissioner in charge of Information and Public Relations in  ANSIEC, Mr Anthony Nnalue disclosed this during a joint press briefing in Awka on Friday.

Nnalue said that the six local government areas affected  are; Ogbaru, Ihiala, Nnewi South, Idemili South, Orumba North and South.

He said that vehicles had been provided to carry voters from the distressed areas to where they would cast their votes.

He said that the Commission had already discussed modalities with the security operatives on how to ensure the safety of voters on the election day.

“The ANSIEC is ready for the September 28th local government election and all materials have been  transported to the LGAs on Friday

“We know some difficult areas and we are going to work with security operatives to transport them with the commuter vehicles to where they are going to vote “.

“It is not that something would happen but people are afraid to come out so we are providing them security and vehicles for them to go and vote,” he noted.

The Commissioner of Police also said  that there were some red light areas and terrains that had  been beefed up for more security formations such as  Azia, Lilu, Iseke, Uli in Ihiala LGA.

He said that their polling units had  been relocated to the LGA headquarters for effective and efficient watch during the  hours of the elections.

“We also have places like Oba in Idemili South, Ogbunka , Owerezukala , Umunze in Orumba South and few areas in Orumba North and  South as well as Nnewi South  areas.

“Ogbaru council area  inclusive and we have Amiyi, Ochuche, Agiri Ogidi, Ogwuiklele and Ogwuaniocha; voters here would  go to Atani Council  headquarters to cast their votes.

“There would be no movement from 6 am to 4 pm on the election day and there is a joint security operations with other sister security organisations in the state,” Itam said.

 The police boss  urged the electorate to be law abiding and go and cast their votes peacefully.

“It is also important to state that all the borders of Anambra state would remain closed from hours of  6 am to 4 pm when the voting must have been concluded,” he said.