2023 Polls: NSCDC Boss Urges Officers to Remain Neutral, Be Fair to Voters

By Praise Chinecherem

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps ( NSCDC) Anambra State Command has charged officers to  avoid high-handedness and treat electorates with fairness and respect their fundamental human rights ahead of the forthcoming general elections.

State Commandant, Mr. Isidore Chikere who gave the warning during the training of his officers and men also charged them to be be extremely apolitical before, during and after the polls.

He said the training was aimed at equipping personnel on intricacies of election conduct, general knowledge of what constitutes electoral offences, and strategies to defeat those who plan to constitute a clog in the wheel of the electoral progress of the country. 

“You must be firm, exhibit professionalism in discharging your duties by ensuring that voters, candidates, pollworkers, observers, and other actors involved in an election experience the process free from fear or harm in addition to protecting both INEC  sensitive and non sensitive election materials,” he said.

Isidore reiterated the commitment of the Commandant General of NSCDC, Dr. Ahmed Abubakar Audi to sustain the core values of democracy in the country through fair, free and credible elections. 

According to him, since the atmospheres are as usual politically charged, the Command has also continued its statutory sensitizations and lectures for its officers and men to be well- informed and conversant with their duties to the members of the general public, most importantly during the momentum of the elections. 

The State NSCDC boss further tasked the  Area Commanders as well as Divisional Officers (DOs) to cascade the lecture and training to their respective personnel and strictly adhere to  security agencies code of conduct while also helping to protect and preserve democracy.

“With the appropriate mechanism already in place, the command is using this medium to appeal to the general public to stay clear of any acts capable of causing breach of peace and other laws of the federation as enshrined in the constitution, with a warning that those caught will be made to face the consequences of their actions,”he stressed.

The training which held at the Command Headquarters, Awka, drew participants from  Command’s Management Team, Area Commanders, Divisional Officers and Operational Staff of the Command.