The State Commandant of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps Michael Besong Ogar FCAI has reiterated on the assurance of the Command to ensure the provisions of adequate security in this Saturday Governorship and State Assembly Elections as 6,000 personnel drawn from different department such as General duty, Operations, Antivandal, Marine, Counter Terrorism and Special Forces Units have been deployed.
During a parade briefing in preparation for the elections, the State Commandant spoke with Heads of Department, Units Head, Area Commanders and the 23 Divisional Officers heading the Local Government Area in the State; he maintained that sequel to the Commandant General Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi mni OFR directive all officers and men are to remain apolitical, neutral and highly professional while carrying out the elections duty.
” It is very fundamental for me to affirm the CG’s directive on your disposition in this upcoming Election; you are to conduct your self as very regimental and disciplined officers, shun every act that are inimical to the cooperate image of the NSCDC, remain apolitical, neutral and professional in your dealings with the civilians; avoid brutality and infringement on the fundamental human rights of the voters. Remember there are Senior citizens and people with disability (PWD) who would come to cast their votes, they are to be treated with preference, ensure crowd control, protection of INEC adhoc Staff and materials without compromise”.
The Rivers NSCDC helmsman further said that as the Command is poised to provide adequate security across the 319 Wards and 4,442 polling units in the State; all voters are advised to come out massively to cast their votes without fear or panic.
While speaking on the level of collaborations amongst security agencies, Ogar said the NSCDC is playing complimentary role alongside other sister security agencies as the Nigeria Police remains the lead agency in Election Security. He hinted that the existing synergy among the security agencies would definitely enhance the security architecture of the State and make this elections go smoothly and hitch-free.
” You are by this pre-election briefing directed to work in collaborations with all security outfit deployed to your polling units, Divisions and Area Commands. There is not need for superiority complex or Inter-Agency rivalries because in our capacity as Service Commanders in the State; we would be led by the Police AIG on Election duty to monitor the overall Electoral process until the results are collated and announced. Hence, all security agencies on election duty are to work together in order to achieve same goal which is to provide enabling environment for a free fair and credible elections”.
“Let me further affirm that the Rivers NSCDC election monitoring team to be led by Departmental Heads and Area Commanders wil alsol cover both land and the waterways, our gun boats and operational patrol vehicles would be deployed for easy patrol and quick response to emergencies”.
” Our candid advice to those planning to format trouble or distrupt the peaceful conduct of the elections is that they should desist from such unscrupulous act because the arm of the law would definitely catch up with them”.
SIGNED:
DSC OLUFEMI AYODELE Anipr.
PUBLIC RELATIONS OFFICER.
NSCDC RIVERS STATE COMMAND.
