Ahead of the February 16 elections, the Police Service Commission has approved the redeployment of 37 Commissioners of Police for the 36 states of the federation and the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.

The acting Inspector-General of Police, Mohammed Adamu, had recommended the redeployment of the affected officers to the PSC shortly after his appointment as the acting IG by President Muhammadu Buhari.

The PSC spokesman, Ikechukwu Ani, said in a statement in Abuja on Thursday that the commission had approved the redeployment of the officers, adding that the Commissioners of Police were expected to proceed immediately to their new commands before the polls.

In the new exercise, Egbetokun Kayode whose earlier posting to Lagos State was aborted by the acting IG, was redeployed to Kwara State on Wednesday.

The FCT CP, Bala Ciroma, and his Ogun State counterpart, Ahmed Iliyasu, however, retained their positions, while Mu’azu Zubairu would take over from Edgal Imohimi in Lagos State.

The force was silent on where Imohimi would be deployed to but sources at the police headquarters said he might be posted to Abuja.

Egbetokun was the Chief Security Officer to the National Leader of the All Progressives Congress, Bola Tinubu, when he was the Lagos State governor.

The posting, however, did not go down well with the Peoples Democratic Party.

The PDP described it as a ploy to use the police to rig the elections in favour of the ruling All Progressives Congress.

But in spite of this opposition, Ani said the affected Commissioners of Police should resume at their new commands before the February 16 elections.

The Commissioners of Police and the states they are deployed to are: “Buba Sanusi, Katsina State; Mohammed Wakili, Kano State; Rabiu Ladodo, Jigawa State; Mu’azu Zubairu, Lagos State; Ibrahim Sabo, Niger State; Alkassam Sanusi, Taraba State; Garba M. Mukaddas, Adamawa State; Omololu Bishi, Benue State; and Bola Longe, Nasarawa State.

Others are Isaac Akinmoyede deployed to Plateau State; Odumosu Hakeem, Edo State; Olushola David, Bayelsa State; Adeleke Yinka, Delta State; Austin Iwero Agbonlahor, Cross River State; Bashir Makama, Akwa Ibom State; Awosola Awotunde, Ebonyi State; Belel Usman, Rivers State; Bello Makwashi, Gombe State; and Abdulrahman Ahmed, Kaduna State.”

The remaining CPs are Hakeem Busari, Kogi State; Asuquo Amba, Ekiti State; Galadanchi Dasuki, Imo State; Suleiman Balarabe, Enugu State; Dandaura Mustapha, Anambra State; Etim Ene Okon, Abia State; Ibrahim Kaoje, Sokoto State; Celestine Okoye, Zamfara State; Garba Danjuma, Kebbi State; Abiodun Ige, Osun State; Undie Adie, Ondo State; Olukolu Shina, Oyo State; Ali Janga, Bauchi State; Damian Chukwu, Bornu State; and Sumonu Abdulmalik, Yobe State.”

Also, the Chairman of the Commission, Alhaji Musiliu Smith, charged the CPs to quickly settle at their new posts and ensure that the elections at their various commands were peaceful, free, fair and transparent.

He added, “Our nation cannot afford any disruption of the elections anywhere as the world is looking up to Nigeria for a proof that its democracy has continued to mature.”

Meanwhile, the IG has met with the Counter-Terrorism and Special Protection Unit Commanders, where he informed them about their responsibilities during the elections.

Within the context of the Strategic Election Security Operational Plan of the Force, Adamu said the men would provide specialised protection for the Independent National Electoral Commission workers, youth corps members and other ad hoc personnel of the commission that would be deployed for the elections.

He stated that they would also be required “to secure INEC facilities across the country, undertake patrols of the public space before, during and after the elections and act as a reserved force that could be deployed for rapid response to crisis areas during the polls.”

The IG added, “In order to ensure full mobilization and deployment of personnel for these duties, we shall in the coming days prune down or order the withdrawal of SPU and CTU operatives that are currently on non-essential duties including those attached to certain categories of personalities.”