The Nigeria Police has deployed over 6,000 officers to monitor Saturday’s presidential elections across the 27 Local Government Areas in Imo State.

Briefing reporter on Friday at the Imo State Police Command Headquarters in Owerri, the state’s capital, a spokesman for the Police, Andrew Enwerem, said the command was fully ready and prepared for the elections.

He explained that the Police had put in place necessary security measures to monitor the 305 wards of the Independent National Electoral Commission in the state and 3,525 polling units across the state.

Mr Enwerem, however, advised the residents of the state to adhere strictly to the directives on the restriction of persons and vehicles in the state within the hours of 7:00am and 6:00pm local time on Saturday.

He said the command was committed to ensuring credible, free and fair elections in the state.

The Police spokesman urged all politicians in the state to advise their supporters not to cause mayhem or electoral violence, stressing that the command will deal ruthlessly with any group or persons found guilty no matter his position in the society.

The Inspector General of Police, Sulieman Abba, had earlier told Channels Television that the Police were prepared to safeguard lives and property during the election.

He said that the police would work with other security agencies in Nigeria to raise enough manpower to cover the polling units across the state.