The Lagos State Police Command said on Tuesday that it had deployed enough policemen to provide adequate security during Wednesday’s National Convention of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) also said it that had deployed its officers to assist in providing security during the event. So too, the Federal Road Safety Commission, FRSC, which said it has deployed 100 men to manage traffic during the event.

The convention, billed for Teslim Balogun Stadium, Surulere, will elect the party’s presidential candidate for the 2015 election.

The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO) told NAN that “we have enough men on ground who are adequately kitted for the primary.

“We know the responsibility for the process to be credible is rested on us and we are aware of it. We are willing, as usual, ‎to discharge that responsibility to the best of our ability just like we have been doing in all other elections.
We know tomorrow’s election will be a bigger one and we expect more people to come into the state,’’ he told NAN without disclosing the number of police personnel deployed.

“The Commissioner of Police, Mr Kayode Aderanti, was around yesterday to see things for himself and he will be moving around today to monitor the situation again. Arrangements have been put in place like traffic control, security, surveillance, sniffer dogs and every other thing needed to ensure a hitch-free convention.

Also, Mr Chibuzo Mefor, Public Relations Officer, Lagos State Command of NSCDC, said the corps had deployed 500 officers to collaborate with the police to provide security.

He said the officers were already on ground from Tuesday and would keep vigil at the venue ahead of the convention.

Mr Hyginus Omeje, the Lagos Sector Commander of the corps, said that arrangement had been put in place to ensure free-flow of vehicular movement in the state.

“`We have identified the critical traffic bottleneck, especially the junctions that link those areas. Ours is to ensure free-flow of traffic within those axis. We will not allow Lagosians to be trapped in traffic because of any convention.

“For the locations we have mapped out, we will deploy more than 100 officers to them. And we are going to deploy nothing less than 15 vehicles, including our tow trucks,’’ he said.

The FRSC boss said that the command would, however, not move close to the venue for fear of being labelled partisan.

“We are going to restrict ourselves to our core mandate of ensuring free-flow of traffic these areas,’’ he added.