The Police Command in Cross River says it has deployed over 1,000 officers and men to maintain law and order in the August 11 Obudu State Constituency bye-election.

The Commissioner of Police in the state, Hafiz Inuwa, disclosed this on Thursday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Calabar.

Mr Inuwa told NAN that every polling unit in the area would be protected by eight policemen in order to protect the electorate during and after voting.

“There will be nothing less than eight policemen in every polling unit.

“The idea is to provide enough security for all eligible voters because we don’t want any harassment of any form from anybody.

“We urge members of the public to leave the polling unit as soon as they finish voting. We don’t want every polling unit to get congested.

“The representatives from all political parties will be there representing them and they will report what will happen to them.

“The police and other security organisations will never partake in either counting or voting. Our own is to provide security,’’ he said.

The commissioner told NAN that the police would only come in when any miscreant or criminal had the intent to harass or intimidate voters at the polling unit.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reports that the Obudu State Constituency in the House of Assembly became vacant following the death of the lawmaker, Mr Stephen Ukpukpen, on May 30.