Edo Election: NSCDC Deploys 13,311 Personnel, 60 Sniffer
Dogs
In preparation towards the forthcoming Edo and Ondo States
gubernatorial elections respectively, the Nigeria Security and
Civil Defence Corps has trained her personnel on the new electoral
guidelines in Covid-19 period. These become necessary to ensure
that every act of electoral malpractices, violence, act of
hooliganism and other social vices that could affect the smooth
conduct of the elections are being nipped in the bud.
The Commandant General of the Corps Abdullahi Gana Muhammadu,
while briefing the participants, representative of INEC Chairman
and the representative of the National Council for Disease Control
(NCDC) at the Corps Headquarters Abuja on the need for training
before the election proper.
Gana reiterated that the Corps as a critical stakeholder in
election monitoring is ensuring that personnel are properly guided
before being fully deployed for any election for the provision of
physical security at the polling booth, polling units, protection
of the ballot boxes as well as electoral officers.
He also stated that the Corps has a critical function to perform
before, during and after election by educating and enlightening the
populace, the political actors and political gladiators to employ
peaceful approach of conducting the electoral processes without
rancour.
In another vein, he re-echoed that considering the present
situation where the society is being ravaged by the Covid-19
pandemic, it is important therefore to enlighten the personnel on
the critical Covid-19 guidelines before embarking on the
exercise.
Gana made it known that the Corps in addition has deployed the
Deputy Commandant General in charge of Operations Hillary Kelechi
Madu to lead the assignment along with other 3 Assistant Commandant
Generals, 7 Commandants to serve as field coordinating officers in
charge of the three senatorial districts. In addition, the Corps is
deploying 13,311 personnel drawn from the Headquarters and
neighbouring state such as Kogi, Anambra, Bayelsa, Delta and Ondo
to complement the personnel of Edo state Command and Zonal Command
in Benin.
Also, 60 sniffer dogs are being deployed to INEC office for
crowd control and detection of combustive elements as well as IEDs,
other specialized unit deployed are mobile surveillance vehicles,
the special weapon and tactical unit (SWAT), the Chemical
radioactive biological and neutral unit (CBRN) Counter Terrorism,
Operations and Special Duties, Intelligence department, Medical and
Disaster Management among others.
He states that apart from the election duty, there is need to
beef up security around Infrastructure and National Assets from
being soft target of attacks by hoodlums and vandals who unduly
take advantage of election periods to carry out their nefarious and
dastardly act as well as identified black spots and other areas
prone to attack and vandalism.
The CG assured the personnel of adequate provision of logistics
for the operation and also cautioned that they should work in
harmony with other sister agencies without conflict as the Corps
will not tolerate any act of misconduct during the operations.
He warned the personnel to deal with the populace with high
level of civility and diplomacy to protect the name and integrity
of the Corps. The politicians, he advised that leadership is not a
do or die affair but service to humanity and to the electorate they
should turn out en-masse to vote for the leaders of their choice,
eschew violence and allow peace to reign because anyone caught will
face the wrath of the law as Edo is their only state and they do
not have any other state to claim, therefore they should not
mortgage their conscience.
Gana guaranty free and fair election in Edo by working in
collaboration and synergy with other sister agency.
Emmanuel Okeh, DCC
CDPRO