Ekiti Election: NSCDC, USAID, others collaborate to ensure effective security

#ElectionBuzzNig’23

As part of deliberate strategies to ensure effective monitoring of security for the June 18 gubernatorial election in Ekiti State, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has set up a situation room at the State Command Headquarters with support from USAID, UKAID, Balm in Gilead Foundation for Sustainable Development and the National Democratic Institute.

The group’s election situation room is a proactive measure to respond swiftly to emergencies, especially regarding security breaches and rescuing probable electoral violence victims.

This will also help update the Ekiti people and the public on the conduct of the election.

The Corps’ Acting Deputy Commandant-General, Operations, Haruna Lawal Muhammed, in charge of Ekiti election operations, said although they had secured the State adequately, it was essential to ensure the rights of women, and other vulnerable individuals were protected before, during and after the election.

According to him, the security agency will continue to partner with all relevant organisations, ready to ensure that the rights of citizens are not violated.

To this effect, the Ekiti Election Monitoring Situation Room and Rapid Response Centre will deploy the N-Alert security platform from the Ministry of Interior with three alert categories: See Something Say Something, Records and Election Monitoring.

In doing so, members of the public are provided with a Toll-Free line, which is 080046837467, to enable the public to link up with the Situation Room; furnishing them with details from any part of the State to protect women and persons with disabilities who are more vulnerable ahead of Saturday’s gubernatorial election.

Haruna disclosed that the NSCDC launched its gender policy in 2021 in recognition of the competence and capability of women. He added that they drafted over 160 armed Special Female Squad to ensure the resistance to any form of violence, intimidation and abuse, especially against women involved in the political exercise in the State.

Meanwhile, the Executive Director, Balm in Gilead Foundation, Tumininu Adedeji, disclosed that the organisation has a mandate with the National Democratic Institute to have a survival centre for stopping Violence Against Women in Politics as women are more at risk before, during and after elections.

Adedeji advised citizens in the habit of attacking women during elections to desist from such acts.

Mr Stephen Snook, Country Director, NDI, thanked the Corps for establishing a mandate that promotes women’s rights in politics, reiterating that NDI has prioritised this so that women can enjoy a free voting and political process.

Suzan O.