Politics

NSCDC Deploys 6,433 Personnel for Edo Governorship Election, Warns Against Violence

Written by Jerry Alomatu on September 18, 2024

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Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi, the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), has initiated the deployment of 6,433 personnel to oversee security during the upcoming Edo State Governorship Election.

He urged officers to maintain high levels of professionalism, impartiality, and discipline throughout their electoral duties, while emphasizing the Corps’ critical role in safeguarding national assets and infrastructure.

The security strategy involves drawing personnel from neighboring states, with more than 300 officers each being assigned from Delta, Imo, Kogi, Osun, Ondo, and Enugu, while Rivers and Bayelsa will contribute 400 and 350 personnel, respectively. Edo’s local command will deploy 3,626 officers. Additionally, 607 specialized operatives, including members of the Special Intelligence Squad, Anti-Vandalism Team, Chemical Biological Radiological Explosive Unit, and the K9 division, have been mobilized to secure key election points and areas prone to unrest.

Dr. Audi underscored the importance of maintaining peace throughout the election, highlighting the Corps’ collaboration with other security agencies to safeguard polling stations, collation centers, and the distribution of election materials. Covert officers have also been dispatched ahead of time to provide real-time intelligence across the state’s 18 local government areas.

Warning against any attempts to disrupt the electoral process, Dr. Audi called on political actors to refrain from inciting violence and on parents to prevent their children from being exploited as tools of chaos. He affirmed that anyone caught engaging in electoral offenses would face legal consequences. Deputy Commandant General Philip Ayuba has been tasked with supervising the entire operation, ensuring coordination before, during, and after the election.