Army to deploy military zones to provide reconnaissance during Edo governorship polls

NIGERIAN Army commanders have revealed that they will deploy drones to monitor the forthcoming Edo State gubernatorial election as part of a drive to ensure transparency and combat electoral fraud.

 

Edo State goes to the polls on September 28 to elect a new governor and already the situation remains very tense as the elections have been postponed once. Expected to be a straight fight between the ruling All Progressives Congress and opposition Peoples Democratic Party, the elections have already witnessed some violence.

 

Brigadier Raji Benbela, the commander of the 4 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, said that to ensure fair, free and credible governorship elections, the army will deploy drones to monitor strategic locations during its conduct. He added that the deployment of the drones will support the aerial view of strategic locations across the state and also help to check activities of hoodlums.

 

According to Brigadier Benbela, the show of force was not to intimidate the people but to assure them to come out en masse and vote on election day. He added that security agents would be deployed to strategic locations to stop unwanted elements from disrupting the process.

 

Furthermore, Brigadier Benbela disclosed that the Nigerian Army had arrested some persons and that they would be made to face trial after the election. He appealed to the electorate and political gladiators to conduct themselves in such a manner that would not jeopardise the process.