.CDS in Benin, caution non-state actors carrying arms, address troops

By Ozioruva Aliu

BENIN CITY – TO forestall any breakdown of law and order and to avoid early detection, plain cloth policemen from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID), Special Investigation Bureau (SIB) and other plain cloth personnel have flooded Benin City the state capital ahead of Saturday’s governorship election.

Moving around parts of the city looks calm but these plain cloth policemen are in several places and also visiting dark spots, bars and lounges around the town.

A member of the department from the State Command confided in Vanguard on Wednesday said that they are moving around to ensure security for all and a free and credible exercise “They have been around for about two days now but because more came to join them yesterday (Tuesday) that is why their presence has become more visible”

In a similar vein, the Chief of Defence Staff, General Christopher Musa visited troops in the state where he cautioned them to be neutral and ensure free, fair and credible exercise.

While addressing troops at the headquarters of the 4 Brigade of the Nigerian Army, General Musa said “We want to have the best election in Edo state, and we are ready so you have been briefed on what parts you are supposed to play, we are working as a team and we are all Nigerians here, nobody is more Nigerian than the other person.

“With other security forces, we are going to work together as a team; the police, the civil defence, DSS and all the other ones. We know the election has a lot of issues, there are a lot of expectations and we want this election to go without any rancour, we don’t want any disturbance, and nobody should come and intimidate anybody, on that election day we must ensure that the election is free, fair and credible. INEC is the one conducting the election, the Nigerian police are the lead agency in security so we must provide that security.

“We know the armed forces are the last hope of the nation, we cannot afford to fail ourselves or fail our nation. None of us will do anything that will put the armed forces in disrepute, I don’t want to hear anything that it is the armed forces that have caused one problem here and there.,
“Our own is to provide that security. No other agency in the name of vigilantes, hunters or others no one must carry arms. Only the statutory security agencies are allowed to carry arms and operate on that Saturday.

“Your Commanders will show and direct you what to do, we are restricting movement, no convoy movement, everybody should just walk to voting centres and go back, election should not be a war, we don’t want anybody injured, we don’t want anybody killed. Anybody who decides to carry any weapon, whether cutlass, whether Dane gun or any other thing, we must get that person. I want this election to be the best and we can make that happen, we made that possible in the last three states and this one will not be different, we have a task on Saturday, everybody in the world is watching what will happen in Edo on Saturday and you must not allow anybody to compromise you.”