Due to the postponement of
the general elections there was heavy presence of soldiers in major areas of
Port Harcourt yesterday.
Some residents said the military was probably being proactive to nip any ugly reaction to the postponement in the bud.
Some residents said the military was probably being proactive to nip any ugly reaction to the postponement in the bud.
When contacted, the Army
Public Relations Officer, Port Harcourt Barracks, Captain Nsima Essie, said the
soldiers were on routine operations in the state.
In another development, the
Navy assured of effective policing of the waterways in the Niger Delta before
and after the general elections.
New Flag Officer Commanding
Eastern Naval Command, Rear Admiral, Henry Babalola, who spoke yesterday in
Port Harcourt, said the deployment of troops on the waterways was in compliance
with the request of Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, adding
that it was part of move to guard against ballot box snatching and issues of
electoral violence.
He said the Navy would
continue to assist the electoral body to deliver credible elections to
Nigerians.
He said: “The dictates of
standard operating procedures guarding military operations. We will standby to
assist INEC to provide security to transport electoral materials to riverine
areas, when we are called upon.
“We will standby to create
an enabling environment that will allow voters to lawfully and legally come out
to cast their votes.
“Subverting electoral
process starts from when thugs import arms and ammunition to cause problems,
and so we are deploying one helicopter to join the naval flying unit here, and
patrol boats to ward-off ships bearing arms to the militants.
“It is a trying moment for
our nation, and so the idea is that at the end of the day, we will be on top of
the game to create a conducive atmosphere for the elections to take place.”
Continuing, he said his men
were free to vote for candidates of their choice but should do so in mufti and
should not hang around polling booths after casting their votes.
He further warned them
against openly campaigning for any of the political parties.
Babalola said the navy
would soon take delivery of three warships to enhance its security operations.
“Very shortly, the
Commander in Chief (of the armed forces) and the Chief of the Naval Staff will
be commissioning three additions to the Nigerian navy fleet – and they are very
big ships.
“We have the offshore
patrol Centenary vessel from China assigned to the (nation’s) eastern fleet;
the NNS Opabana – an ex-United States Coast Guard ship, and another training
ship, NNS Prosperity.
“Again, on the smaller
scale, we are purchasing new boats; and we have just been assigned two-new K-13
(gun) boats with a view to adding more bite to our war on crude oil theft and
other illegalities in our maritime environment,” he said.
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