INEC assures corps members of safety

The Independent National Election Commission assured Thursday that the safety of National Youth Service Corps members is a priority in the upcoming election.

The INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, gave the assurance during a courtesy visit by the Director General, NYSC, Brigadier General Yushau Ahmed, to the INEC Headquarters in Abuja.

INEC had signed a memorandum of understanding with NYSC leadership on the use of Corps members as ad hoc personnel during the general election.

Yakubu stated that security would not only be provided to corps members deployed to work at the polling stations, but also in their camps.

He said: “No electoral commission in the world conducts elections based on its own permanent staff. For us at INEC, we are fortunate to have this large pool of people in national service to compliment us.

“We are concerned about the comfort, safety and security of the Corps members. We will continue to put them at ease before they are sent to the polling places.

“We will even extend security to the NYSC camps.

“You asked about their safety after the election. I have stressed to the leadership of the National Union of Road Transport Workers that Corps members should not be abandoned after the election, but returned to basics.

“During training, we train them in camp so that by the time they are deployed, they are already trained. I want to assure that those in Enugu and Kano would have been trained before February 14 before leaving the camp.

“We will work together to train them before they are deployed. We adhere to the MOU we signed with the NYSC. We are like conjoined twins and we will continue to work together.

“You can be sure that the security of the forces is given priority, we are also concerned. It is a call to duty.”

Earlier in his remarks, Brigadier General Ahmed assured the INEC chairman that his office will “work tirelessly to ensure that all conditions of the MOU are met.

“We are already sensitizing the conscripts to allay their fears. It is a job they can be proud of. I know you’re on call day and night talking to security chiefs, to ensure the safety of force members.