By Abdul Alli
In less than two weeks to the country’s national election, the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, Abdullahi Gana Muhammadu has paid a working visit to the North West commands of the Corps in order to motivate and encourage personnel for the forthcoming election duty. This is contained in a statement issued by the Corps’ Public Relations Officer (CDPRO) DCC Emmanuel Okeh and made available to Time Nigeria.
According to the statement, “Addressing the Corps members at the Kaduna, Katsina and Kano state commands respectively, the NSCDC boss reiterated the need for personnel to put on a new garb of patriotism, discipline and integrity in the discharge of their duties, most especially with respect to the forthcoming election. He reminded them of Federal government’s resolve and commitment to ensuring a free and fair election, devoid of violence and rancor; therefore, personnel are duty bound to provide security for electoral materials, INEC officials, all ad-hoc staffs and election observers both local and international before, during and after the election in any parts of the country.
“The Corps chief executive who expresses confidence in the conduct of his personnel going by their performances in previous elections admonished them to remain as a good reference point and a shining example among the committee of security agencies in the country. According to him, “politicians will make dangerous and very tempting advances to you with a view to compromise your integrity, do not compromise, remain incorruptible and say no to partisan politics, the whole world is watching us, we cannot afford to fail, hence, our conduct must be in conformity with international best practices”.
Gana, charged members of the Corps to put serious premium on the mandate of the organization, which compels them to ensure adequate protection of lives and property of Nigerians and foreigners residing within the country, especially during this period of electioneering campaign.
He advises them to be apolitical by making political neutrality their watch word wherever they are posted for election duty. That, on no account must any personnel be found working for or aiding any political party on or before the day of election. He promised to deal decisively and make a scape goat out of such erring personnel as his administration is anchored on discipline, integrity and transparency.
The CG however seizes the occasion to allay the fears of staff on election duty allowance by not mincing words in assuring his personnel that arrangement has been perfected to ensure that their welfare is guaranteed during this period and that whatever benefit is due to each personnel is guaranteed and will be accorded them without fail but emphasizing that it will be commensurate with the provision made by the Federal government for the organization.
He encouraged Corps personnel to work in synergy with other security agencies such as the police, DSS, the armed forces, immigration, road safety and all others that would be deployed to guarantee safety of not only the election materials and INEC officials but also the electorates who will turn out en-mass to vote on the day of the election. The Corps top boss also took a swipe at parents and guardians to ensure that their wards to be used as political thugs by politicians to foment trouble or truncate the electoral process. He states that the issue of election violence and ballot box snatching will be taken seriously and dealt with frontally this time around in accordance with the law and anyone caught will not be spared.
He charged the Commanders as well as the various state commandants to ensure adequate deployment of personnel of various specialized units and equipment such as the mobile surveillance vehicles to every nooks and crannies of the region in order to ensure adequate security coverage of humans and critical national assets which often becomes target of vandals and nefarious individuals during such period of national emergency.
