As the 2023 presidential and National Assembly election kicks in, the Commandant General of Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi, has charged officers and men of the Corps to avoid accidental discharge as no pardon will be given to defaulters.
According to a statement on Friday, Dr Audi warned personnel against any form of compromise with political actors, adding that anyone found wanting will be decisively dealt with.
He said “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 warned.
He charged personnel to be apolitical, display a high level of professionalism, impartiality and neutrality in their conduct.
He 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 helmsman 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.
“To ensure a free, fair and credible election in an atmosphere of peace and tranquillity, the general public is hereby advised to call the phone numbers below to report any breach of security, electoral violence, thuggery or vandalism of Critical National Assets and Infrastructure in their various states including the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) during the elections for prompt intervention and action.”
