From: Clement Idoko-Abuja
THE Commandant General of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi, has
warned personnel deployed for election duties against any form of compromise with political actors, adding that anyone found wanting will be decisively dealt with.
He also charged officers and men of the Corps to avoid accidental discharge as no pardon will be given to defaulters.
Director, Public Relations, NSCDC, Mr Olusola Odumosu in a statement on Friday noted that the warning becomes imperative as the 2023 presidential and National Assembly election kicks off on Saturday.
“Let me warn all personnel, most especially, the arms bearers, to allow the rules of engagement to reverberate in their head and guide them in exercising an enormous amount of caution and carefulness.
“For anyone found compromising, working for any political party or involved in accidental discharge during these elections; we will not only dismiss you, but we will also prosecute you to teach others a very big lesson,” the CG stated.
He charged personnel to be apolitical, display a high level of professionalism, impartiality and neutrality in their conduct.
Audi further urged operatives to be vigilant, firm and decisive in dealing with any incident of crime, violence, political thuggery, vote buying and destruction of critical infrastructure during the electoral exercise.
The CG enjoined all personnel to join forces with sister agencies, specifically the Nigeria Police Force which is the lead agency in election monitoring and security.
He warned that on no account should any personnel of the Corps be involved in any confrontation with other security agencies involved in election duty.
According to him, the success of the election is tied to the safe and secure environment that security agencies will provide during the process.
The NSCDC boss also stated that it is important for security operatives to respect the fundamental human rights of citizens during the polls.
He admonished members of the public to assist security agencies to maintain a peaceful, safe and secure environment by reporting any incident of crime in their areas to nearby security outposts to provide timely response for necessary intervention.
