By Hosea Parah, Abuja
The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps(NSCDC) has embarked on a Capacity Building training of the States Commanders and it management in preparation for the forthcoming general elections
The NSCDC Commandant General, Ahmed Abubakar Audi declared the two days capacity building training workshop opened on Tuesday in Abuja,
He discribed the training as a strategic management workshop to give support to the Nigeria Police Force and other stakeholders in achieving an effective electoral security management objective within the elections timeline.
The workshop was organized by Konrad Adenauer Stiftung with the aim to prepare the NSCDC for the forth coming General elections soon to hold.
Ahmed Abubakar Audi said, less then five weeks to the general elections, the Corps will release very soon, a revised standard operational guidelines on election duties, and other salient election security rules for personnel, which is aimed at ensuring safe and secured electoral processes Nationwide.
He added that to physical Security, this strategic management workshop will also develop common policy guidelines that can be used in deepening the capacity of Corps personnel assist officers and men to comply with global standards of election security management.
He said, early October 2022, the Code of Conduct as well as training manual were launched after being revised to align them with the provisions of the Electoral Act 2022 and consolidate on the professionalism displayed by the Security agencies in the held off-Cycle gubernatorial elections in Osun and Ekiti States, which created an opportunity to security agencies on joint training for Security Personnels ahead of the general elections.
The Commandant General further explained that the training will lead to other knowledge driven initiatives that will envision a holistic training for Officers and men of the Corps, from top to bottom in ensuring a safe, credible and transparent elections in line with best global practices before, during and after the forthcoming general elections
“despite the scepticism raised by Nigerians and Foreign diplomats towards the successful Conduct of the 2023 polls due to security concerns resulting from attacks on INEC facilities in some parts of the Country, as well as facilities of some sister security agencies occasioned violence in the political rally/Campaigns of certain parties, hate speeches between political gladiators have generated cause for concern in recent time”. He said.
This He said, despite the recorded incidences, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has vested in and will continuously provide an enabling environment to Officers and Men in order for optimal discharge of Corps’ mandates in this regard, most especially in the protection of critical national assets and other emanating Security disturbance that arises from the election Cycle phrases.
“It is my earnest expectation that this workshop will further Strengthen our Capacity in our preparations ahead of the general elections, build our confidence as strategic Commanders, while ensuring that voters, domestic observers, election sensitive materials and electoral Officers’ safety and security are well coordinated.”
Earlier in a remarks, the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, Resident Representative, Marija Peran stressed that the focus of the training lies on the promotion of democracy, good governance and the rule of law as well as supporting the security sector reform.
Marija said, that in Democratic nations, Security agencies play a vital role as the watchdog of the society with the constitutional role of protecting lives and properties. As such, the security role cannot be overemphasized especially during an election.
She added that the core role of security agencies in an electoral process is first to promote peace and prevent the commission of an offence. Therefore, the security architecture must be readjusted ahead of the polls.
She said, Government must show that it can protect it’s people in the forthcoming general elections. People must see and experience such to believe in the state to come out to vote.
The Residents Representative further explained that for the security agencies to earn the trust of the citizens, the government, election observers, the international community and other stakeholders they need to plan and strategizes on the way forward towards a violence free,fair and credible election in the coming two months from now.