The spokesman of the Nigeria Police Force, Mr. Frank Mba, said in a statement in Abuja on Thursday that the restriction would assist security agencies to effectively police the electoral process and prevent criminally minded elements from disrupting the electoral process.
Mba said the Inspector-General of Police urged the citizens to go out en-masse on the day of the election to exercise their franchise without any fear or apprehension.
He said that the police regret the inconveniences the restriction would cause the citizens.
“The IGP warns that the force will deal decisively with any individual(s) or group(s) that will want to test our common will in our resolve to ensure a peaceful election,” the statement said.
According to him, the police boss enjoined the electorate to shun vote buying, vote selling, hate speeches, fake news, snatching of ballot boxes and other act(s) capable of truncating people’s will.
He warned that the force would not hesitate to bring to bear the full weight of the law on anyone who engages in any crime during the elections.