Kogi governorship: 210 security personnel undergo training

The Electoral Institute (TEI) in collaboration with the European Centre for Electoral Supports (ECES), on Tuesday, commenced a two-day training for 210 security personnel who will be taking part in the November 16 governorship election in Kogi State.

Representative of the Director General of TEI, Victoria Eta Messi, said the training, which is holding concurrently in Lokoja (Kogi West), Idah (Kogi East) and Okene (Kogi Central), was aimed at equipping participants with the skills and competence that will enable them assist the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, to have a safe environment to conduct the election in November.

She said the training will also provide participants understanding of key security procedures required to ensure safety of election officials on election duties as well as strategies to be employed in handling various forms of violence and other threats before, during and after the election.

“Most of them are probably not aware or conversant with the processes of conducting election. Here, we will look at the roles and responsibilities required of them. And most importantly, coordination and having a synergy amongst themselves.

“We have been having issues regarding synergy. Knowing who is in charge. All the security agencies are under the control of the Nigerian police and there must be that knowledge and acceptance of that fact”, she said

On the issue of fake security personnel and impersonation during elections, she said every security personnel who will be deployed for the forthcoming election in Kogi will have its unique identification to avoid impersonation, adding that: “It is only those with the identification tags that will be allowed to handle election security duties”.

She urged security personnel drafted to handle election duties in the state to shun inter-agency rivalry and form a strong synergy that will ensure conduct of peaceful and rancor free election.

Security organisations attending the training include; the police, the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps, the Army, the DSS, the Navy, the Nigeria Correctional Service, Immigration, Customs and NDLEA.