The Commissioner of Police in Ekiti, Mr Asuquo Amba, says the sensitive electoral materials withdrawn following the postponement of the Presidential and National Assembly elections are in protective custody.

Addressing reporters in Ado Ekiti on Monday, Amba assured all the political parties that the materials were in safe custody while adequate security had been put in place to secure them.

Amba, who spoke through the command’s Public Relations Officer, DSP Caleb Ikechukwu, said: “If you visit the CBN office in Ekiti now, you will see more security men around the place.

“We are in cognisance of the fact that security lapses could mar these coming polls and we are guarding against that.’’

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN)  reports that INEC had on Feb. 16 retrieved all electoral materials earlier deployed for the conduct of the Presidential and National Assembly elections.

The commissioner  commended the residents for their peaceful disposition, disclosing that the command had not arrested anyone in connection with any form of violence since the electioneering campaign began in the state.

On the allegations raised by the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party, Chief Gboyega Oguntuase,  that his members were being attacked in some parts of the state by suspected APC thugs and the police, Amba said: “We have not received any formal petition from the party in respect of this.

“This command is apolitical and neutral, so, if we have any evidence of attack by any party, we are going to investigate and whoever is found culpable shall be arrested and prosecuted accordingly.

“As we speak, we have drafted more mobile policemen and our other men from the Special Protection Unit who are specially trained on how to protect election materials there.

“We are working round the clock to block all loopholes criminals can use to truncate the process here, so there is no cause for worry.

“Our people, particularly all parties,  should be rest assured that we shall ensure that all the materials are delivered to the designated points. There is no room for diversion.”

Amba added that the three other Commissioners of Police deployed to Ekiti by the Inspector General of Police, Mr Mohammed Adamu, for the purpose of the election had been asked to temporarily return to Abuja due to the postponement.

“They have been asked to return to Abuja temporarily and by Thursday, they will return to Ekiti.

“The essence of their presence in the state was only to make sure we have strong security across the three senatorial districts because each commissioner was to man each of the districts for better performance of our men, “he said.