Security was beefed up on Thursday as the Enugu State Governorship Election Petition Tribunal prepares to deliver judgment in a petition filed on the March 18 election in the state.
The petition was filed by the candidate of the Labour Party (LP), Mr Chijioke Edeoga, to challenge the declaration of Mr Peter Mbah of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) as the elected governor.
Justice Kudirat Morayo leads the three-member panel of the tribunal.
NAN, monitoring developments, reports that operatives of the police’s Rapid Response Squad were positioned in strategic locations to forestall possible violent protests.
Nine Toyota Hilux vans and three Armoured Personal Carriers (APCs) were stationed around the tribunal premises.
About 50 police personnel, soldiers, Department of State Services, DSS, and Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, NSCDC, operatives were also seen in various formations around the tribunal’s premises.
Police spokesman in Enugu State, DSP Daniel Ndukwe, told NAN that the heavy presence of security operatives in the area and in strategic locations was routine.
He said also that the move was to ensure the safety of all before, during and after the judgment had been delivered. (NAN)