Edo Guber | NSCDC deploys 20,000 personnel for Polls

Abdullahi Gana, the Commandant General, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), has directed the immediate deployment of 20,000 personnel for the Edo governorship election scheduled for Sept. 28. 

Information about the directive is contained in a statement issued by Assistant Commandant (AC) Emmanuel Okeh, Corps Public Relations Officer in Abuja on Monday.

He said Gana had directed the acting Deputy Commandant General, Operations, Hillary Madu, to relocate to Edo for the purpose of the election. Okeh stated that Madu would be assisted by two Assistant Commandant Generals (ACGs) in charge of Zone G Benin and Zone E Owerri with five commandants drawn from neighbouring states.

He noted that the personnel were to be re-deployed from Kogi, Ondo, Delta, Bayelsa and Anambra state commands respectively to complement the Edo Command.

He advised the personnel to work in synergy with other sister security agencies in order to ensure peaceful conduct of election without rancor. He warned that any personnel caught in any act of misconduct would be dealt with in accordance to the law and ethics of the corps.

Gana also approved the deployment of sniffer dogs, Specialised Units such as the SWAT, CBRN, CTU, Undercover and Special Forces to protect the Critical Infrastructure and national assets in the state and its environs. He urged politicians in the state to play according to the rules as achieving victory was not a do or die affair. He called on the winner to accept the result with humility and the loser to accept same with magnanimity.

Gana urged citizens of the state to come out en masse to exercise their franchise without fear or favour and cautioned parents to be on the look-out for their children and wards, and ensure that they were of the best behaviour ever. The commandant general advised youths in the state to shun thuggery and vices that negate peaceful conduct of election.