The heavy presence of soldiers, police and other security personnel in Benin, Edo State, on Thursday created traffic jam on major roads within the capital .
Apart from cops and soldiers, Air Force personnel and men of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps were seen in trucks and Hilux vans.
Some of the areas suffering from the holdup are Ikpoba Hill, Adesuwa Road, Sapele, Airport, Akpakpava and bypass , Punch reports.
A commercial driver said, "All over there are troops, policemen and their cars. See how they need to cause 'go-slow' everywhere. It's as if we're at war.
Also, some journalists, who were on their thanks to the Edo office of the Independent National Electoral Commission located on Adesuwa Road, were stranded for over two hours in one among the gridlocks.
Meanwhile, on Thursday, security agencies administered their last joint exercise before the election called Operation Show of Force, aimed at alerting Edo residents of the security agencies readiness to governorate.
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No fewer than 70 patrol vehicles loaded with fully armed men from the varied security agencies paraded on strategic streets and roads across Benin City.
The Police PR Officer, Chidi Nwabuzor, said the exercise was the inter-agencies’ commitment to making sure that the election was peaceful, fair, free and credible.
The security personnel moved from the state police command headquarters through Sapele Road, Country Home Road and Ugbo road, among others.
Meanwhile, the government announced Friday, September 18, 2020, as a day of work-free enabling state employees to visit their constituencies to exercise their franchise.
Edo State Head of Service, via the Permanent Secretary, in a statement on Thursday. Mrs P. E Aziegbemhin, added, “Permanent Secretaries and Heads of Extra-Ministerial Departments are requested to bring the contents of this circular to the eye of their staff.”
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