July 18, 2018

The Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC)  has warned its officers against collecting bribe during the Osun governorship election scheduled for Sept. 22.

Mr Abdullahi Muhammadu, Commandant General of NSCDC, gave the warning on Wednesday in Osogbo, at a town hall meeting with stakeholders ahead of the governorship election.

The meeting, with the theme: ‘Benefits of Violence-Free Elections’, was organised in partnership with a German foundation, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS).

Muhammadu was represented by Dr Emmanuel Adeoye, Deputy Director, Crisis Management Directorate, NCSDC, Abuja.

The commandant said any officer caught collecting bribe from politicians during the election would be summarily dismissed from service.

He said that the corps would not allow any officer to discredit its operations.

“Our only weapon is integrity, and we will not allow anybody to damage it,“ he said.

Muhammadu called for a violence-free election in the state, saying the election should not be a do-or-die affair.

Earlier in his remarks, Gov. Rauf Aregbesola said the only way to select a credible leader was to conduct violence-free election.

Aregbesola, who was represented by his deputy, Mrs Titi Laoye-Tomori,  said that the nation could only have the best election when it was violence-free.

The governor also said that there was need for the youths to be sensitised not to allow themselves to be used as political thugs during the election.

Mrs Hildegard Behrendt-Kigozi, KAS Country Director, said the town hall meeting was organised to sensitise stakeholders on the need for a violence-free election in the state.

“We are here today to share ideas in order to create better understanding, de-escalate tensions, and promote safety of lives and property in the state and Nigeria as a whole,” she said.