The Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Umsan Alkali Baba, yesterday ordered the deployment of five police gunboats for the 2023 general elections.
Baba said the five newly acquired gunboats would also be useful for the distribution of election materials to riverine communities in the South West region.
He gave this assurance while commissioning five newly acquired gunboats for the Marine Department of the force.
The IGP, who was accompanied by the Chief of Naval Staff (CNS), Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo, noted that there is currently an increase in the movement of people and goods along the country’s waterways.
He revealed that the increase in human activities along the waterways would also bring about increase in criminalities on the country’s waters
“These newly acquired gunboats will go a long way in ensuring that the police deliver on their constitution responsibility, which is to maintain law and order in all parts of the country. We are going to deploy the gunboats for election duties,” he said.
He also assured of prompt maintenance of the gunboats, adding that there is an existing synergy between the force and the Nigerian Navy.
Also speaking at the commissioning, the Chief of Naval Staff, Vice Admiral Awwal Gambo, commended the efforts of the IGP, saying the presence of the police on the country’s backwaters would help in cubing criminalities on waterways.
