The Gombe State Police Command has announced restriction of movement and closure of commercial activities in Gombe, Kwami and Funakaye local government areas ahead of Saturday’s by-election into the Federal Constituency
The restriction will be enforced from 6:00am to 6:00pm on Saturday, September 19, 2026, the command said
It said the measure is part of a comprehensive security arrangement put in place by the police in collaboration with other members of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES) to ensure a peaceful and violence-free exercise
In a statement issued on Friday, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Buhari Abdullahi, said the Commissioner of Police, CP Umar Ahmed Chuso, had ordered the deployment of personnel and operational assets to INEC offices, polling units, collation centres and other strategic locations across the affected local government areas
According to the statement, the deployment is being carried out in collaboration with other statutory security agencies to provide security coverage before, during and after the election
The command said only statutory security agencies operating under ICCES would be authorised to provide security during the election
It warned that state-owned security outfits, quasi-security organisations, private security guards and vigilante groups would not be allowed to participate in election security operations
The police also said persons engaged in essential services would be allowed to move during the restriction period but warned that they must not use sirens, unregistered vehicles or vehicles with covered number plates
The command further cautioned residents against the circulation of fake news, political thuggery, brandishing of weapons and possession of incriminating items at polling units
It urged parents and guardians to caution their wards against allowing themselves to be recruited or used as political thugs
The police warned that anyone found engaging in activities capable of undermining the peaceful conduct of the election would be arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law
The command appealed to residents of the three affected local government areas to cooperate with security agencies and report suspicious activities to the nearest police station