we are watching you – TheNigerialawyer

The Department of State Security (DSS) has told politicians in
the leading political parties that they were under the department’s
security radar ahead of the November 16 governorship election in
Bayelsa State.

DSS said it was particularly watching the politicians to know
their involvement in any attempt to recruit thugs and move arms
into the state to cause violence at the poll.

Speaking in a seminar organised by the Nigeria Police for
political party chairmen and other stakeholders, the state Director
of the DSS, Ishaku Yusuf, said persons under watch were politicians
marked for having the capacity to instigate violence during
elections.

The stakeholders’ seminar was spearheaded by the Assistant
Inspector-General of Police (AIG), Zone 5, D.P.Yakadi.

Yusuf said: “On the issue of identification of those intending
to perpetrate violent crimes during the elections, that is being
done. Those who have the capacity have been put under security
watch and homes under surveillance.”.

He, however, lamented that poor attendance of party chairmen and
representatives showed their lack of readiness for the poll.

“Another source of worry I have for the coming Bayelsa election
is the fact that we have 45 political parties listed for the
election but 10 is in attendance here. It shows the security
agencies are readier than the owners of the elections”, he
said.

In his lecture, Yakadi, identified various factors that could
cause electoral violence and advised critical stakeholders
including the media, political parties and the Independent National
Electoral Commission (INEC) to step up preparations and work
against corrupt tendencies before, during and after the
elections.

Yakadi assured the stakeholders of the preparedness of the zone
under his watch to ensure a hitch-free poll.

He said: “Unemployment and poverty are some of the key factors
that are responsible for election violence in Nigeria. Another
factor is get-rich syndrome, loss of societal values compared to
what was attainable in olden days. Another factor is proliferation
of firearms, easy access and consumption of illicit drugs.

“We are here today to discuss with you how we can have free,
fair and credible election on the 16 November, 2019. The increasing
problem of violence in our politics today is a source of security
concern.

“The stakeholders meeting organized by the Nigerian Police Force
today is centred on the need to create a peaceful atmosphere
before, during and after the forthcoming Bayelsa governorship
election.

“INEC should ensure that Bayelsa governorship election meets and
satisfies international best practices. They should regularly
partner with the security agencies and create a conducive
environment for all stakeholders to ensure credible election in
Bayelsa state, INEC should enlighten and sensitize all political
parties”.

“INEC management should show commitment to ensure that presiding
officers, polling agents and other election officials are honest in
discharging their duties, by understanding their rules in the
election processes. INEC should ensure that adequate logistics and
administrative processes are put in place before the day of the
election to avoid delay as Bayelsa state is about 70 per cent water
and movement and personnel”.

In his speech, the Administrative Secretary of INEC in Bayelsa
State, Mr. Edwin Enabor, said that smart card readers to be used
during the poll were undergoing routine maintenance and assured
that there would be no card reader failure.

Enabor, however, said in an event of card reader failures, over
2,500 card readers had been borrowed from Rivers State.

He said: “We have to borrow 2,500 additional smart card readers
from Rivers state and what we need is 2,240 smart card readers,
which we have but still went to borrow more. The issue of smart
card readers will be taken care of.”

He said the commission was prepared for the November 16th poll
with issues of training and logistics adding that 90 per cent of
the non-sensitive materials needed for the election were already in
the state.

Enabor called on security agencies to protect materials and
personnel saying that on the 15th of November, the sensitive
materials would be moved from Yenagoa to the various centres.

Ndume, Namdas: N100bn for Armed Forces in 2020 budget
grossly insufficient

The Chairmen of the National Assembly (NASS) joint committee on
Army, Senator Muhammed Ali Ndume and Hon. Abdulrazaq Namdas have
bemoaned the low budgetary allocation for the Nigerian Armed
Forces, saying the N100bn allocated to the Armed Forces in the 2020
appropriation bill is grossly insufficient.

They both made this known when they led a delegation of the
Senate and House Committee on Army, to visit the Chief of Army of
Army Staff (COAS), Lieutenant General Tukur Yusuf Buratai, at the
Army Headquarters in Abuja.

Sen. Ndume, who acknowledged the efforts of the Army in tackling
insurgency, and other emerging security threats across the country,
said there is need for their joint committee to robustly engage
with the leadership of the Army with a view to addressing some of
their challenges.

“Our NASS’ joint committee is very important. We fill in the gap
for the Nigerian Army in the NASS. Among other things, we are glad
that the Army is living up to expectation in tackling the myriads
of threats to internal security in the country,” he said.

On his part, Hon. Namdas, lauded the Army for independently
sourcing for funds to execute some of its programmes and activities
such as manufacturing of various equipment of warfare such as
Armored Personnel Carriers, gun trucks, bullet vests and other
modern fighting ammunition.

Namdas, stressed the need for government to create what he
called a ‘war budget’ for the Army in order for them to permanently
wipe out terrorists and end insurgency in the North East.
He further disclosed that a bill on how the Army can be adequately
funded independently without relying on the allocation captured in
the national budget has already been tabled on the floor of the
house.

Responding, Lt. Gen. Buratai, assured the Committee members that
the Army, under his leadership, will continue to carry out its
constitutional responsibilities diligently, responsively and
professionally.

He said though the Nigerian Army has continue to sponsor its
officers and men for training both locally and internationally,
more funds are required to help them effectively prosecute some of
its operations and programmes.

By PRNigeria^[1]