Police, INEC Strengthen Collaboration Ahead of Edo Central and Ovia Federal Constituency Elections

The Commissioner of Police, Edo State Command, CP Monday Agbonika, fdc, on Wednesday, July 16, 2025, received the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) for Edo State, Professor Anugbum Onuoha, in his office at the State Command Headquarters in Benin City.

The visit was part of ongoing inter-agency engagement aimed at deepening collaboration and ensuring a peaceful, credible, and secure conduct of the upcoming Edo Central Senatorial District and Ovia South-West/Ovia South-East Federal Constituency elections.

During the meeting, Prof. Onuoha briefed the Police Commissioner on the Independent National Electoral Commission’s (INEC) level of preparedness, including logistics deployment, voter education efforts, and distribution strategies for election materials.

He underscored the critical role of the police and other security agencies in safeguarding the entire electoral process, stressing the need for continued synergy to uphold public confidence and the integrity of the polls.

In his response, CP Agbonika assured the REC of the Command’s full support, reiterating that robust security measures have already been activated. These include increased surveillance, visible patrols, and strategic deployment of personnel to identified hotspots across the election zones.

The police chief emphasized the Command’s zero-tolerance for electoral violence, assuring voters, officials, and political stakeholders of their safety before, during, and after the elections.

“We are fully committed to creating a safe environment where voters can exercise their franchise without fear, intimidation, or disruption,” CP Agbonika stated.

He further noted that the Command will continue to engage actively with INEC, sister security agencies, and critical stakeholders under the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) framework to ensure a smooth and violence-free electoral process.