Police heavily man Lagos roads during polls to prevent electoral violence

The police command in Lagos State, on Saturday, mounted very heavy security posts in the metropolis as residents voted in the governorship and state assembly elections.

The heavy security presence was coming on the backdrop of apprehensions of likely breakdown of law and order during the polls in Lagos state.

Political actors had traded accusations on plans to frustrate the electorate and violently disrupt the polls.

The police command in the state had deployed 27,000 men and officers for the governorship and house of assembly elections.

Checks in various parts of the state revealed heavy security presence mounted on various expressways within the state metropolis.

The security agents, including the police and military, were seen at various points and road intersections and mounted roadblocks with tyres, logs and other items.

Armed security agents, mostly police officers, mounted roadblocks along the  Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, Agege Motor roads, Ipaja road, Pen Cinema and other areas.

More vehicular movements were observed during the governorship election than in the February 25  presidential election.

The police were seen stopping vehicles without election tags from moving while also turning them back.

The divisional police officer in Gowon Estate, Suleiman Kabir, was also seen on the road stopping and turning vehicles back.

Ibrahim Abioye, one of those stopped by the police, told journalists that he was driving to his polling unit to cast his vote when he was stopped by the police.

He said he could not walk to his polling unit, which was why he drove.

Another person, Deborah Olawale, who was asked to go back by the police, said she was driving to vote in her polling unit.

People were seen walking to their different polling units to cast their votes, while some were seen drinking at local joints. 

(NAN)