The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) has ordered the massive deployment of 10,000 officers and men across Ekiti State to ensure a peaceful, credible, and violence-free atmosphere during the upcoming governorship election.
The personnel were drawn from Ondo, Osun, Oyo, Lagos, Kwara, Edo, Ogun, and Kogi, alongside specialized operational reinforcements from Zone 11 and Zone 6, according to a statement on Friday by the NSCDC Public Relations Officer, Babawale Afolabi, Asst Commandant of Corps (ACC) Babawale Afolabi.
The Commandant General (CG) of the NSCDC Professor Ahmed Abubakar Audi has also directed the immediate deployment of the Corps’ elite tactical units to neutralize any potential security threats.
These include: The CG’s Special Intelligence Squad (SIS), the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) unit, the Female Strike Force, the Mining Marshals, the Special Force, Crack Squad, and the K9 Unit (highly trained specialized dogs for detection and crowd control)
The Commandant General has also designated the Deputy Commandant General in charge of operations, DCG Ayuba Phillips, to represent him and personally lead the election security exercise on the ground in Ekiti State.
Reaffirming the Corps’ absolute readiness, the Commandant General stated:
“Our mission in Ekiti State is definitive: to protect the integrity of the democratic process and guarantee the safety of every voter, election official, and citizen. We will tolerate no form of electoral violence, thuggery, or disruption. Our specialized squads and tactical forces are fully briefed and strategically positioned to maintain absolute law and order.”
The NSCDC is working in close, robust synergy with sister security organizations to provide comprehensive security coverage before, during, and after the election cycle. All deployed personnel have been strictly charged to maintain the highest level of professionalism, neutrality, and civility while executing their duties in compliance with the Electoral Act.
The Corps urges the good people of Ekiti State to come out peacefully and exercise their franchise without fear of intimidation while remaining vigilant and reporting any suspicious activities to security operatives.