Ekiti 2022: NSCDC launches toll-free line, moves to curb electoral violence

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has on Friday announced the launching of a toll-free number, a move it said was meant to attend to security breaches and curb electoral violence during the Ekiti State governorship election, slated for Saturday, June 18, 2022.

The civil defence also said it had “set up a situation room at the State Command Headquarters with support from the United States Agency for International Development, the UK Aid, Balm in Gilead Foundation for Sustainable Development, and the National Democratic Institute.

This was contained in a statement issued by the NSCDC’s Director of Public Relations, Abuja National Headquarters, DCC Olusola Odumosu, and made available to newsmen.

The statement partly read, “As part of deliberate strategies to ensure effective monitoring of security on June 18, governorship election in Ekiti State, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps has set up a situation room at the State Command Headquarters with support from the USAID, UK AID, Balm in Gilead Foundation for Sustainable Development and the National Democratic Institute.

“The situation room is a proactive measure to swiftly respond to emergencies especially as it relates to security breaches and rescue probable electoral violence victims. It will also help to update the Ekiti people and the general public on the conduct of the election.”

The Corps’ Acting Deputy Commandant-General, Operations, Haruna Muhammed, fdc, in charge of Ekiti election operations, said that although the state was adequately secured, it was important to ensure the rights of women and other vulnerable individuals would be protected before, during and after the election.

According to him, the NSCDC will continue to partner with all relevant organisations ready to ensure that the security and rights of citizens are not violated. To this effect, the Ekiti Election Monitoring Situation Room and Rapid Response Centre will be deploying 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 and furnish them with details from any part of the state to protect women and persons with disabilities who are more vulnerable ahead of Saturday’s election.

Haruna disclosed that the NSCDC launched her Gender policy in 2021, and in recognition of the competence and capability of women, 160 armed Special Female Squad were drafted to ensure the resistance to any form of violence, intimidation, and abuse especially, against women involved in the political exercise in the state.

The Executive Director, Balm in Gilead Foundation, Tumininu Adedeji, also said that the organisation had a mandate with the NDI to have a survival center for stopping Violence Against Women in Politics, adding that this was because women were more at risk before, during and after elections.

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

On his part, the Country Director, NDI, Mr. Stephen Snook appreciated the Corps for establishing a mandate that promoted the rights of women in politics, reiterating that the NDI had prioritised this so that women could enjoy free voting and political process.