Police Restrict Movement, Deploy Personnel Ahead Gombe By-Election

The Gombe State Police Command has imposed a restriction on movement and commercial activities in Gombe, Kwami, and Funakaye local government areas before Saturday's by-election. This measure, in effect from 6:00am to 6:00pm, is part of a comprehensive security plan with other members of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) to ensure a peaceful election.

Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Buhari Abdullahi, announced that Commissioner of Police, CP Umar Ahmed Chuso, ordered the deployment of personnel and resources to INEC offices, polling stations, and other strategic areas in the affected regions. The deployment is being carried out in collaboration with other authorized security agencies under ICCES.

State-owned security outfits, private security guards, and vigilante groups are barred from participating in election security. Essential service workers can move but must avoid sirens, unregistered vehicles, or concealed number plates. The police urged residents to avoid fake news, political violence, weapon possession, and recruitment as political thugs.

Anyone violating these rules would be arrested and prosecuted. Residents are advised to cooperate with security forces and report any suspicious activity to the nearest police station.