Saheed Ibrahim

The Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps, Brigadier General YD Ahmed, has asserted that his primary mandate is to protect all Corps members serving in all parts of the country.

To this end, the Director-General sought the assistance of all the major security agencies in Ondo State, who are members of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES), to ensure that Corps members engaged by INEC as ad hoc staff are protected before, during, and after the governorship election.

Ahmed, who was represented by the Director of Corps Welfare and Health Services, Mr Omotade Ayodele Folorunso Benjamin, disclosed that the focus of the country is on the corps members who have answered the clarion call to serve the nation, pleading that priority should be given to the patriotic graduate youths.

Speaking separately to the heads of the Nigerian Army, Nigeria Police Force, Department of State Services, and Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, the DG said that the parents and guardians of the Corps members released them on trust, and it behoves the managers of the Scheme at all levels to act in a manner suggesting that NYSC is competent to protect them.

“Inasmuch as we want to ascribe absolute security to God Almighty, we should be seen as responsible corporate bodies, and ensure that these young Nigerians are protected at all times, especially during sensitive assignments such as elections. I seek your protection for these illustrious future leaders of this great country,” he pleaded.

The DG briefed the security agencies on the level of preparedness of the Scheme towards the gubernatorial election and said that NYSC had conducted sensitisation exercises in all eighteen (18) Local Governments of the state for the 6,233 Corps members who would be engaged as ad hoc staff by INEC.

Welcoming the representative of the NYSC Director-General to his office, the Brigade Commander of the 32 Artillery Brigade, Owena Cantonment, Akure, Brigadier General John Rimbut Lar, disclosed that NYSC is a product of the Nigerian Army, and they would continue to oversee the security and welfare of Corps members serving in the state.

General Lar, who expressed a special regard for the Scheme, said that the protection of the nation’s territorial integrity is their primary responsibility, which includes protecting all citizens from both internal and external aggression.

In his remarks, the Commissioner of Police, Ondo State Command, CP Abayomi Peter Oladipo, said his command was fully prepared to provide adequate security for all the personnel engaged by INEC, with a promise to keep a vigilant eye on the patriotic Corps members.

The Commissioner of Police stated that the Police Force places much value on the lives of citizens, among whom Corps members are regarded as important.

At the Command Headquarters of the Department of State Services, the State Director, Mr Muhammed Saidu Hussain, said his Command had mapped out strategic surveillance for all Registration Area Centres (RACs) and Polling Units (PUs) across the 18 LGAs.

He assured that there was no cause for alarm, asserting that his men are ready to protect the lives of everyone involved in the election.

The State Commandant of the Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Prince Oluyemi Joshua Ibiloye, pledged his Command’s commitment to ensuring that the security of the Corps members engaged by INEC would be prioritised.

Similarly, the INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner for Ondo State, Barrister Oluwatoyin Babalola, disclosed that INEC had completed arrangements to transport all ad hoc staff and materials to the Registration Area Centres (RACs) promptly so that Corps members on election duty could have enough rest ahead of the election.

She assured NYSC of adequate security and protection for Corps members throughout the election period.