According to the Rivers State Command of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), 5,255 officers from the 23 Local Government Areas of the State have been assigned to the Presidential and National Assembly elections on Saturday.
Michael Besong-Ogar, the Rivers State Commandant, provided assurance that the Command would be prepared to provide adequate security prior to, during, and following the 2023 General Elections.
During a media briefing at the Command Headquarters in Port Harcourt, Commandant Besong-Ogar noted that the Corps’ determination to remain apolitical, neutral, and highly professional while on election duty informed the Corps’ preparedness.
He also said that NSCDC officers have learned a lot about the election operational guidelines, the Electoral Act 2022, and the NSCDC Standard Operating Procedures thanks to internal training and retraining programs that were put together with INEC, the Nigeria Police, and other sister security agencies in the state.
In addition, Commandant Besong-Ogar promised to safeguard the election environment, INEC ad hoc staff, and sensitive and nonsensitive INEC materials.
In a statement released by the Public Relations Officer, Olufemi Ayodele, the NSCDC State Commandant urged important stakeholders to work together to ensure that Rivers State’s elections are free, fair, and credible.
He urged voters to remain calm and to avoid any form of electoral violence because security agencies would not hesitate to detain anyone who interfered with the peaceful running of the elections.