As a pointer to the determination of the police to prevent violence during the 2011 elections, about 14 men suspected to be hoodlums were arrested in Iwoate in Ogo Oluwa Local Government Area of Oyo. Another five were also nabbed at Iresaadu in Surulere Local Government Area by the state police command.

According to reports, the suspected hoodlums, upon interrogation, had revealed that they were from Lagos to support a House of Representatives candidate from the local government.

The arrested men were suspected to have been brought into the local government by an opposition party to disrupt today’s elections.

The new Commissioner of Police, Mr Saliu Argungu Hashimu, said he was yet to be briefed about the report.

However Saturday Tribune gathered that the arrested suspects were still in Ogbomoso as of the time of filing this report, while the police continue in their investigations.

Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police deployed to the state for the 2011 polls, Hashimu, has allayed the fears of residents, and gave assurance that his men will work towards achieving violence-free elections.

He also disclosed that about 10,000 officers and men had been distributed to their different places of duty and would be joined by men from other security agencies, such as the State Security Services (SSS), Nigerian Immigration Services (NIS), Nigerian Customs Services, the Nigerian Army, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps.

The commissioner of police, while speaking with the press on his arrival on Friday, stated that the job of ensuring free and fair election involved everyone, adding that security was not a one-man show.

Hashimu pointed out that he was not in Oyo State to replace Mr Baba Adisa Bolanta but was only deployed to the state for the purpose of the 2011 elections only.

He warned that electoral offenders would not be spared as his men would arrest and prosecute anyone caught violating electoral laws.

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