As the people of Edo State prepare for the upcoming governorship election on Saturday, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has revealed the presence of 60 flashpoints across the state.
The Commandant of the NSCDC in Edo, Mr. Gbenga Agun, disclosed this critical information during an interview with journalists in Benin, the state capital.
He explained that these identified hotspots are spread across the three senatorial districts of the state, covering key areas where potential disturbances could arise during the election.
Agun emphasized that personnel from the corps had been deployed to these locations to ensure maximum security.
According to him, the goal is to safeguard the election process and prevent any incidents that could disrupt the peaceful conduct of the polls.
The presence of 60 flashpoints is significant, given the history of tense elections in the state. Edo has seen politically charged campaigns and occasional outbreaks of violence during election periods.
Elections in Nigeria are often tense, with some regions experiencing violence, vote-buying, and intimidation. Edo State, with its history of fiercely contested elections, is no stranger to such challenges.
In light of these realities, the NSCDC has taken proactive steps to prevent any security breaches that could undermine the integrity of the election.
Earlier, the Deputy Commandant-General of the NSCDC, Mr. Philip Ayuba, disclosed that a total of 6,464 personnel had been deployed to ensure security during the election.
Ayuba highlighted the importance of the personnel adhering strictly to the corps’ dress code to prevent infiltration by unauthorized individuals.
“We have reports that some persons are trying to infiltrate the personnel, but we have put measures in place to check it,” he said.
The warning about infiltration reflects concerns that have plagued previous elections in the country, where unauthorized individuals have posed as security personnel to manipulate voting processes or intimidate voters.
Ayuba stressed that any officer whose uniform does not conform with the standard dress code of the NSCDC would be denied access to their duty post during the election.
This precautionary measure is aimed at ensuring that the personnel on duty are easily identifiable and that only authorized officers are present at polling units.
The NSCDC leadership also urged officers to conduct themselves with professionalism and calmness when dealing with the public on Election Day.
“We call on everyone to exhibit good habits. Don’t be temperamental. Try to be friendly in telling people to do what they are supposed to do,” Ayuba advised.
The Deputy Commandant-General reminded the officers that they represent the face of the NSCDC and that their actions could either enhance or damage the reputation of the corps.
“Make sure you abide by the rule of the game. The rule is to be in your normal uniform. Anybody that is not in the right uniform according to the guidelines for this election will be denied,” he reiterated.
Ayuba emphasized that the NSCDC was committed to ensuring that the governorship election in Edo State would be free, fair, and credible.
He assured the public that the personnel would work alongside the leading election security agency, as well as other sister security agencies, to protect voters and guarantee the sanctity of the election process.
“The personnel will join other agencies to ensure nobody is intimidated while trying to perform his or her civil duty,” Ayuba said.
The role of security agencies in Nigerian elections is crucial, as they are responsible for maintaining order, preventing electoral violence, and ensuring that voters can exercise their rights without fear.
In previous elections, there have been reports of widespread voter suppression, ballot box snatching, and violence in certain parts of the country. The presence of security forces, therefore, becomes necessary to safeguard the process.
Ayuba reiterated that the primary objective of the NSCDC and other security agencies was to ensure that people are given the opportunity to vote without fear of intimidation or disenfranchisement.
“The rule is to ensure that people are given the opportunity, and people are not disenfranchised from casting their votes,” he said.
He urged the personnel to perform their duties without engaging in any acts that could compromise the security of the election or harm the voting process.
“Don’t do anything that will cause any problem there, and don’t help any other person to commit crime while in their points of duty,” he warned.
The message to the officers was clear: every action taken by individual officers would reflect on the entire NSCDC.
“Whatever you do, it is not going to be we; it is going to be I. That is what the uniform says. If you commit anything, they will call the civil defence, but at the end, it will be only you,” Ayuba cautioned.
