Abuja – The Commandant-General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Mr Abdullahi Muhammadu, on Wednesday directed the deployment of 10,000 personnel to Edo for Saturday’s governorship election.
Muhammadu also directed the acting Deputy Commandant-General in charge of Operations, Mr Hillary Madu, to relocate to Edo for the exercise.
The directive is contained in a statement by Muhammadu in Abuja.
Muhammadu further directed the Assistant Commandants-General in charge of Zone G, Benin and Zone E, Owerri, to move to the state to assist the deputy commandant-general.
He said that the deployment was to ensure a free and fair election devoid of violence and rancour.
He also ordered the five commandants from neighbouring states of Kogi, Ondo, Delta, Bayelsa and Anambra to relocate to Edo for the poll.
The commandant-general approved the deployment of sniffer dogs, specialised units such as SWAT, CBRN, CTU, Undercover and Special Forces to protect critical infrastructure and national assets during the election.
He said the deployment was necessary as some criminal-minded individuals may want to take advantage of the exercise to “carry out nefarious acts’’.
He advised the personnel to synergise with operatives of other security agencies to ensure a peaceful election, and warned them against unprofessional conduct.
“Any personnel caught or found involving in any act of misconduct will be dealt with in accordance to the law and ethics of the service,’’ he said.
Muhammadu called on politicians to play by the rule, saying “achieving victory is not a do-or-die affair’’.
“The winner should accept it in humility while the loser should accept it.
“There is always another time to achieve success.
“Election will come and go, but Edo state as a home of indigenes remains; therefore, there is no need to fight and destroy what belongs to generations born and yet unborn,’’ he said.
