The Enugu State Government and the state Police Command have announced restrictions on movement across the state on Saturday, September 26, 2026, for the local government elections.
The elections, to be conducted by the Enugu State Independent Electoral Commission (ENSIEC) will produce chairmen for the 17 Local Government Councils and councillors for the 260 wards.
Saturday’s poll is the first since ENSIEC’s last local government election, held on September 21, 2024, in which the ruling Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) won all 17 chairmanship seats and all 260 councillorship seats in the state.
In a separate statement on Thursday, the Secretary to the State Government, Chidiebere Onyia, said vehicular and other forms of movement would be restricted from 6am to 4pm.
The statement read, “The Government of Enugu State hereby announces a restriction of vehicular movement and other forms of transportation across the State from 6:00 am to 4:00 pm on Saturday, September 26, 2026.”
The government said the measure was aimed at ensuring a peaceful, orderly, secure and hitch-free election.
It listed those exempted to include ENSIEC officials and accredited election personnel, security personnel deployed for election duties, accredited election observers, authorised media practitioners, health workers, ambulances, firefighters and other persons authorised to perform essential election or emergency duties.
It urged residents, political parties, candidates, supporters and other stakeholders to comply fully with the directive and conduct themselves peacefully before, during and after the elections.
“Security agencies have been directed to ensure strict enforcement of this directive and to maintain law and order throughout the elections,” the statement added.
The government regretted the temporary inconvenience the restriction might cause and appealed for the understanding and cooperation of Ndi Enugu.
In a separate statement issued by the state police Command’s spokesperson, SP Daniel Ndukwe, the Commissioner of Police (CP), Mamman Giwa, ordered the restriction of human and vehicular movements from 8am to 4pm on election day.
The police said the restriction would not affect persons on essential duties and duly accredited election officials.
Giwa also barred quasi-security outfits from participating in election security and directed armed security personnel on VIP escort duties not to escort VIPs to polling units.
He assured the electorate and the public of adequate security before, during and after the elections, in collaboration with other security agencies, and urged eligible voters to turn out and exercise their franchise.
The CP warned political parties, candidates and their supporters against electoral malpractices and acts capable of disrupting the peaceful conduct of the elections, stressing that violators would face the full weight of the law.
“The electorate and the public are urged to promptly report suspicious persons and activities capable of undermining the peaceful conduct of the elections to the nearest Police Station or call 08032003702, 08086671202 or 08021709005,” he stated.
