By Kunle SHONUGA
Forty-four policemen deployed for election duty sustained various degrees of injuries in a motor accident along Gwagwalada area of the Federal capital Territory on Friday night.
The officers included Insp. Luka Hananiya, Sgt. Shetiima Solomon, Insp. Maude Yususf, Sgt. Musa Dahiru and Insp. Mumuni Mohammed.
TBI Africa said the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that 33 of the officers were treated and discharged while 11 were still on admission at the Police, National and Gwagwalada specialist hospitals in Abuja.
Addressing newsmen after visiting the patients in the hospitals, the acting Inspector-General of Police, Mr Mohammed Adamu, said that the officers had various degrees of injuries.
He said that the force would take care of their as it was customary.
Adamu said that the officers were going to report in their area of deployment for the Area council elections before the accident occurred.
He said that the injuries ranged from fracture to head injuries that required further investigation at other facilities with the needed equipment.
“We are here to make sure that all of them are given proper medical attention for them to recover.”
The police boss who was not specific about their medical entitlement, said that the force would take care of their medical bills before other claims would be made.
He charged personnel to continue to serve the country as policing was a national assignment that required sacrifices.
“What happened to our colleagues here today can happen to anybody but we are encouraged to serve our country in the best way we can as no sacrifice is too much for the nation,” he said.
On security generally, he said that so far, the process had recorded successes, adding that in human life nothing could be 100 per cent as there may be pockets of challenges.
Meanwhile, Mr Bala Ciroma, the Commissioner of Police in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), said there was relative peace in the territory during the council elections.
He made the disclosure while addressing newsmen after monitoring elections in some parts of the territory.
Adamu attributed the peace recorded to the massive personnel deployment across the territory.
The commissioner said the series of meetings held with stakeholders before the elections also contributed to the peaceful conduct of the elections.
“We don’t anticipate having any problem during the elections in the FCT,” he said.
Also speaking, the Commandant of FCT Command of NSCDC, Mr Solomon Iyamu, said the corps deployed over 6,000 for the elections.
He said the peace being enjoyed in the territory was as a result of the synergy between security agencies in the territory.
