Election Security: INEC trains personnel ahead of Edo guber
The Training for Election Security Personnel (ESP) started on Monday 19th August, 2024 with the Training of Officers from the State Commands of the ICCES member Nigerian Security Agencies (Nigeria Police, Nigeria Army, Nigeria Navy, The Airforce, Directorate of State Security, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corp, Nigeria Immigration Service, Nigeria Customs Service, Nigeria Correctional Service, Nigeria Drug Law Enforcement Agency, Nigeria Fire Service and Federal Road Safety Corps) in Benin City.
The objective of the training is to get participants up to date with the Initiatives and Innovations introduced by the Commission and to ensure they understand their roles and responsibilities as stakeholders in the electoral process. The Training also aimed to enhance participant’s understanding of the Ethical and Legal provisions that guide their operations as well as enhance professionalism in the conduct of ESPs before, during and after elections.
In his Welcome address delivered by the Director Training, the Director General of the Electoral Institute, Dr. Sa’ad Umar Idris pointed out that Security is indispensable to Elections and remains one of the key aspects of the Electoral process that is not the responsibility of the Commission alone. He therefore requested the kind commitment of the Nigerian security agencies in guaranteeing Free, Fair, Credible, Inclusive and Peaceful Edo Governorship Elections.
The Resident Electoral Commissioner of INEC, Edo State expressed his hope in the Security Agencies to provide a safe environment where all Political Parties can freely campaign, voters can peacefully excercise their franchise and staff of the Commission can peacefully conduct the elections without intimidation in the buildup and during the Governorship elections coming up on 21st September, 2024. The Chairman, Board of Electoral Institute (BEI) Professor Abdullahi Zuru in his Opening remarks thanked the participants for partnering with INEC to deliver the training. He further acknowledged the role they play for peaceful elections and tasked them to apply the same professionalism to ensure a more peaceful, inclusive and acceptable elections in Edo state.
On conclusion of this three-days training, INEC/ICCES will step down the Second Level of the Training at all the three Senatorial Districts of Edo State scheduled to hold 23rd-25th August, 2024. The participants for the ssecond level training will be officers of various Security Agencies nominated from all the divisions from the eighteen Local Governments of Edo State.