Ahead of the November 16 off-cycle governorship election in Ondo State, the Nigerian Navy has deployed gunboats to safeguard sensitive election materials and personnel in the state’s waterways, especially in riverine regions.

Captain Aliyu Usman, Commanding Officer of the Nigerian Navy’s Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Igbokoda, stated on Monday that patrols would intensify across the waterways, covering riverine communities and boundary areas on election day.

Usman highlighted the importance of securing maritime routes used to transport INEC staff and materials to polling centres.

Similarly, the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Ahmed Audi, has ordered the deployment of 6,000 officers and men to provide adequate security during the election.

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CG Audi said the NSCDC is fully ready to ensure free, fair, and credible elections, noting that personnel drawn from the host state, neighbouring states, and the national headquarters comprised the Special Female Squad, Counter Terrorism Unit (CTU), Agro Rangers Unit, Chemical, Biological, Radiological, Nuclear, and Explosives Unit (CBRNE), K-9 Unit, Marine Unit, CG’s Mining Marshall, Election Monitoring Unit (EMU), as well as the Intelligence and Investigation Department.

The police had earlier announced the deployment of 22,239 officers for the election as the chief security agency for the polls.