By Gabriel Enogholase, Benin
CHIEF of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Azubike Ihejirika has announced the deployment of 3,500 soldiers to Edo State ahead of the July 14 Governorship election in the State.

Assistant Inspector General of Police, (AIG) Zone 5, Hashimu Salihu Argungu, disclosed this press conference held in his office with the commanding officer, 4 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, Benin, Brigadier General Abel Obi Umahi in attendance.

Brig- Gen, Umahi at the meeting, said the Chief of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Azubike Ihejirika has approved the deployment of the soldiers to assist the police and other security personnel for the election.

He further disclosed that the Chief of Army Staff has also approved 60 Hilux buses and some army patrol trucks will be distributed in various local governments and constituencies in Edo State.

While advising the electorate not to be scared of the presence of the military personnel, the Brigade commander said the soldiers would be placed in different locations to monitor the election in all nooks and crannies of the state.

Similarly, the Assistant Inspector General of Police, Argungu, said, the police command was fully ready to engage any trouble maker or politician who will be out to derail the election process even as he warned that any person who attempts to hijack electoral materials would be treated as an enemy of the process and would be made to face the wrath of the law.

He also warned those warming up to serve as thugs during the election to discard their plans as any person who wears a uniform that is not recognised by the law enforcement agency will be treated as an armed robber and political thug, while those planning to use money to lure voters or electoral officers will also be treated as criminals.

While calling on the electorate to come out en-masse to cast their vote, the AIG who assured of adequate security said only those that are with their voter’s card would be allow to move to their voters’ centres during the election, as no vehicle will be allowed into the town, except through the by-pass.

He also assured journalists of safety, saying that no journalist with INEC accreditation would be harassed or intimidated by security personnel during the election, advising all journalists to ensure that they are accredited by INEC.

Also present at the briefing were the State Director of the SSS, the Federal Road Safety Commission and the Nigerian Security and Civic Defense Crops.

http://www.vanguardngr.com/2012/07/army-deploys-3500-soldiers-to-edo

My Brothers and sisters....we are really fighting a war

Korrection:

My Brothers and sisters....we are really fighting a war

If they are not deployed now, you guys will still criticise that they are leaving the electorate at their own mercies. Or that they left out the Army so dat thugs can bully people or snatch the ballot box....

Isn't that too much? Is it a war zone?

More are coming!
Who do any how, go see any how.

This is good development considering the state of security in the country presently. Who knows, some people may hijack the violence that might occur to cause more problem for the people of Nigeria. Good decision and good timing.

They are deployed to perfect pdp's plans.

abujub: They are deployed to perfect pdp's plans.

A lot of you guys are so short sighted. Can't you read the handwriting on the wall? Should the government fold their hands and watch another part of the country going up in flames?

Warning, do not disturb:

"Election stealing in progress"

"PDP about to kill the electorate in order to [win] the state, "rule" Edo and then not give a DAMN!"

I hope they weren't deployed to "Recapture" the State......in order to massage the b a l l s EGO of some founding fathers of the "killer party", because even a fo.ol knows who controls d army...

stevenosa: A lot of you guys are so short sighted. Can't you read the handwriting on the wall? Should the government fold their hands and watch another part of the country going up in flames?

the same no. Of army were deployed to kogi in december for d election still pdp found their. They brought them to control d post election violence dat will errupt when they declear pdp winner.

abujub: They are deployed to perfect pdp's plans.

Gbam, in the 2003 election in edo state, so many thugs where giving uniform to act as police officers in Edo state, i just hope this not the case

The PDPfederal intimidation has begun. My Edo brothers should troop out en masse and vote for their conscience. No one should feel intimidated by the presence of federal instrument of coercion.

PDP at work, doing everything to make sure the promise of their National chairman comes to pass, una plan no go work, Edo state cannot go back to days of heartless leadership as we have experienced in your past 10 yrs of leadership

Hmmmh....they outnumber d soldiers fighting Boko Haram in Yobe State.

Jabioro: Hmmmh....they outnumber d soldiers fighting Boko Haram in Yobe State.

True talk, funny though.

Vote for General Charles Airhiavbare as Governor of Edo State

People screamed of the plot to instigate violence to truncate the voice of the people at the polls. . . .Maximum security was provided cos Soldiers are known to be disciplined folks . .Yet,you still scream intimidation . .

My advice to all Edo electorates is to go out and vote massivley (Not thumb print massively ) for your preferred candidate,then let the ballot box snatchers,poll intimidating paid thugs worry about the temporal militarized terrain

WERE THEY NOT LIVING IN THE BARRACKS THERE BEFORE.DUMBASS JOURNALISTS.MAKING IT LOOK LIKE THEY BROUGHT THEM FROM OTHER STATES.IGNORANCE NO GOOD O

It is not just about the deployment of Soldiers to our streets but the sincerity of the ruling party to imbibe the spirit of free and fair election in Nigeria.

Have you bothered to ask yourself who is the C-in-C of the Armed Forces of the federal Republic of Nigeria? Who controls the Army and gives the last order? - PDP. Please note that PDP can not fight against itself. It is just a smoked screen. They will use the same Army to rig the election. The army will do nothing since those that snatch the ballot boxes are PDP THUGS. The Army would just be watching them and smiling sheepishly. I refused to be fooled again. I am not an Edo man, you just don't bother to wag your tongue at me, I don't even live there. It is just that it same thing was witnessed in the last Delta State Guber elections and it was rigged in favour of PDP inspite of the noise maker who disturbed our peace with helicopter hovering on our airspace while the election was being rigged at the polls.

3,500 Soldiers may not be enough for Edo State, I know other states require less but lets not quickly forget that Adams Oshiomole constantly complain of assassination attempts, its best to protect everyone with a battalion even.

People are just dumb. This soldiers have always been at the barracks in Edo,like in every other state. If hoodlums are allowed to have a field da during the elections,you people will still come to this forum and make noise on how the FG allowed hoodlums so that election can be rigged. Shebi Oshiomole has cried about attempts on his life? Security has to be at its peak for the election,and I for one would not like violence to erupt in Edo,if it means deploying half of the Soldiers in Naija to maintain law and order and make people comport themselves,so be it!

What will you all say, if no or low numbers of security personnel were drafted in . . . Am sure, the whole place will be agog in flames of accusation still . . .Naija people and suspicion

What about scientific rigging?

It is unfortunate that excessive measures like this are employed in Nigeria's elections. Yet they are absolutely necessary in view of our decadence. This again proves that the problem of Nigeria is Nigerians. We are good in running our mouths against Jonathan or any leader in power. The question is whether Jonathan is responsible for massive rigging in the soceity. We are our greatest enemies!

CHIEF of Army Staff, Lt. Gen. Azubike Ihejirika has announced the deployment of 3,500 soldiers to Edo State ahead of the July 14 Governorship election in the State.

He further disclosed that the Chief of Army Staff has also approved 60 Hilux buses and some army patrol trucks will be distributed in various local governments and constituencies in Edo State.

this number of security personnel and vehicles just for election!

if government should deploy this number of security to borno and other northern state i see no reason why bokoharam wouldn't be history!

PDG government keeps proving to us everyday that bokoharam is truly a rabble rousing arm of PDP!

I don't give a damn who wins the election... The president of Nigeria has once spoken to ensure safety of lives and property in Edo during and after the election. And twice will he fulfill it..I don't give a damn what you hobnobers think but what is most important is that the govt of Nigeria is ever more committed to the safety of lives and property in Nigeria and it would do anything to actualise this paramount necessity not minding whose horse is gorged.. PDP, ACN alikes are devising violence and the losing side ll be the first to cry fouls of assassination attempt, plans to rig and all bullshits but GEJ is demonstrating the patriotism but ensuring we don't degenerate to anarchy has being nurtured by these desperadoes.

Elueme: I don't give a damn who wins the election... The president of Nigeria has once spoken to ensure safety of lives and property in Edo during and after the election. And twice will he fulfill it..I don't give a damn what you hobnobers think but what is most important is that the govt of Nigeria is ever more committed to the safety of lives and property in Nigeria and it would do anything to actualise this paramount necessity not minding whose horse is gorged.. PDP, ACN alikes are devising violence and the losing side ll be the first to cry fouls of assassination attempt, plans to rig and all bullshits but GEJ is demonstrating the patriotism but ensuring we don't degenerate to anarchy has being nurtured by these desperadoes.

Well lettered, very direct.

Elueme: I don't give a damn who wins the election... The president of Nigeria has once spoken to ensure safety of lives and property in Edo during and after the election. And twice will he fulfill it..I don't give a damn what you hobnobers think but what is most important is that the govt of Nigeria is ever more committed to the safety of lives and property in Nigeria and it would do anything to actualise this paramount necessity not minding whose horse is gorged.. PDP, ACN alikes are devising violence and the losing side ll be the first to cry fouls of assassination attempt, plans to rig and all bullshits but GEJ is demonstrating the patriotism but ensuring we don't degenerate to anarchy has being nurtured by these desperadoes.

"I dont give a damn. . ." is that the new meaning of m0r0n??

Billyonaire: Well lettered, very direct.

well lettered in deed!

yeah we all know you guys are trying to earn your living but
Can u guys do us all a BIG favour and try hiding your abject S-T-U-P-I-D-I-T-Y![size=28pt][/size]


plssssssssss

abujub: They are deployed to perfect pdp's plans.

exactly my thoughts. The soldiers were deployed to quickly subdued the protest that might follow after the result must have been rigged and declared in favour of PDP. We have seen this kind of game plan before, no be today. Imagine, the number of military personnel in troubled states is not even half of that number.

Apparently the volatile areas of Nigeria do not need these 3500 soldiers, but the relatively peaceful Edo state needs this during the election to ensure the safety of one man vs about 20million Nigerians in the North. Very intelligent. What a very primitive and greedy nest of killers. The ACN and Edo people should resist this move with all their might and political know-how. They should expose and embarass this useless set of idiots. I have never seen a party so shamelessly bent on regressing progress. Come 2015 if Tinubu tries what he did in the presidential elections the last time, that will be the end of him. PDP days are very numbered

mikolo80: WERE THEY NOT LIVING IN THE BARRACKS THERE BEFORE.DUMBASS JOURNALISTS.MAKING IT LOOK LIKE THEY BROUGHT THEM FROM OTHER STATES.IGNORANCE NO GOOD O

dont say what you dont know. Which of the barracks ekenmwan or ogida or ikpoba hill. Most of them were deployed from ondo and osun fyiz. You should have been at ore yesterday when they were rolling down in convoys of brand new trucks