THE Lagos State Government, on Sunday, warned residents, especially those living close to the banks of the Ogun River to remain alert as more water will be released from Oyan Dam this month, due to expected heavy rainfall.
Tunji Bello, Lagos State Commissioner for the Environment and Water Resources, disclosed that 23 million cubic meters of water will be released in October, which is the peak of the rainfall season.
Bello explained in a statement that the release from the Oyan Dam, which will be the highest so far, is as a result of the intensive rainfall over the past few days and is expected to peak in the current month.
He, therefore, enjoined all residents of Agboyi-Ketu, Owode Oni-Irin, Isheri, Ajegunle, Agiliti, Kara, Majidun and all areas bordering the rivers and the sea in Lagos to be wary of the staggered release, adding that by November, a reduced release of 11million cubic meters will be effected as the intensity of the rainfall declines.
Bello pointed out that data provided by the Nigerian Hydrological Services has shown the months of July, August, September, and October, as JASO months, characterised by heavy rainfall, flooding, and flood disasters in most parts of the country.
While noting that the reminder became necessary because the projected heavy rainfall, which had increased in September, will still continue with high intensity this month leading to the staggered release of water from the dam, the Commissioner disclosed that Lagos State Government is, however, intensifying measures to minimise the effect of the heavy rainfall on lives and property.
He averred that, in continuation of the preventive efforts against flooding by the State Government, work is almost completed on all the primary and secondary channels, stating that this is in addition to the efforts of the Emergency Flood Abatement Gangs (EFAG) that are being deployed around the state to undertake quick fix of clogged manholes or drains manually.
“For a coastal city like Lagos, let me remind everyone that once it rains consistently for a minimum of eight hours, we are bound to have flash floods caused by the increasing inability of effective discharge into the lagoon, which is brought about by a rise in the ocean level,” Bello said.
“This will automatically lock up all our drainages and would be unable to discharge until the water level goes down.”
“Flash floods are not peculiar to Lagos. It is the new wave in most coastal cities around the world, including those who have adopted the best of technological advancements to curtail flooding. Lagos is at the receiving end of three types of flooding, namely Coastal, Urban, and River flooding because of the peculiarity of its location.”
While urging residents to adopt an attitudinal change by not dumping refuse in drainage channels and erecting structures on drainage alignments, Bello vowed that anyone caught violating the environmental laws of the state will be punished accordingly.
He also emphasised that all residents owe it a duty to support the efforts of the Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu led administration to ensure that heavy rainfall does not wreak havoc in any part of the metropolis.
IN a bid to curb public disturbance of residents, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Hakeem Odumosu, has instructed the Public Relations Officer of the Command to roll out the telephone numbers of the Force Public Complaint Bureau, to enable the general public lodge complaints against police harassment, brutality and extortion in the State.
This is in addition to the already released phone numbers.
While restating zero tolerance for unethical and inhumane conducts by his men, Odumosu ordered all checkmating units in the Command including Provost, X-Squad, CP Monitoring Team and Public Complaint Bureau (PCB), to wake up to their duties and arrest any policeman who deviates from the normal ethics and Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) of the Nigeria Police within the State.
He also urged members of the public to always take the pains of identifying such policemen who harass, brutalise and extort them as Lagos State hosts many police formations aside from the Lagos State Command, noting that such identification is sine-qua-non to immediate investigation and disciplinary actions against the erring personnel.
He appealed to the general public to contact the Command (Public Complaint Bureau) on the following numbers: 09057597931 (WhatsApp), 09010512350(OC PCB), 09010512348 and 09090003792.
Lagos State has been the epicenter of police harassment, extortion and brutality in the country.
In October last year, Fisayo Soyombo, investigative journalist, through a funded undercover investigation by The ICIR and TheCable, detailed many cases of abuse of police operatives at Pedro Police station, Shomolu, Lagos State.
THE Federal Government has finally heeded the public call to ban the dreaded Federal Special Ant-Robbery Squad (FSARS).
Mohammed Adamu, the Inspector General of Police, also suspended the Special Tactical Squads (STS) from routine patrols.
With this ban, the Police personnel are to desist from, “carrying out routine patrols, and other low-risk duties – stop and search duties, checkpoints, mounting of roadblocks, traffic checks, etc. with immediate effect.”
Other special units affected by the directive include Intelligence Response Team (IRT), Anti-Cultism Squad including other tactical squads operating at the Federal, Zonal and Command Levels.
A statement issued by Frank Mba, Police spokesperson on Sunday, also banned the security personnel from embarking on patrols or any other tactical assignments dressed in mufti.
“They must always appear in their police uniforms or approved tactical gear,” the statement reads in part.
Adamu warned the officials, especially the tactical squads from invading people’s privacy specifically through, “indiscriminate and unauthorised search of mobile phones, laptops and other smart devices.”
“They are to concentrate and respond only to cases of armed robbery, kidnapping and other violent crimes when the need arises.”
The IGP who described FSARS and the tactical team as critical components of the force, however, frowned at the team’s lack of professional conduct and abuse of people’s rights.
He told the X-Squad of the force and its monitoring unit to embark on an immediate nationwide monitoring exercise of the operational activities of tactical teams as well as other security operatives found on the road.
“They are to ensure prompt arrest, investigation and prosecution of erring police officers who violate these directives and other extant regulations of the force
Adamu said the Commissioner of Police in charge of FSARS, Commissioner of Police in charge of State Commands and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) including Zonal Assistant Inspectors Generals of Police would be held responsible for any misdeeds of officers within their supervision.
Nigerians at the weekend earlier cried out over reported abuse of people’s rights and flagrant shooting of youths by the SARS unit across selected states in the country.
The reported incidents pulled public condemnation of the force while notable Nigerians called for the disbandment of the police unit.
The ICIR in April reported about the indiscriminate arrest and killing by men of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad when a rising footballer star arrested by the police died while running away from the policemen.
After his death, many other young Nigerians across the country have been killed by the dreaded police squad.
Aside from abuse of human rights, several other allegations have been levelled against the controversial police unit.
For instance, at the weekend, Atiku Abubakar, former Vice President of the country, Festus Keyamo, a cabinet member of the present administration, Sunday Dare, the Minister of Youth and Support among others faulted operational strategies of the SARS unit and called for a review.
The Police spokesperson, however, announced the arrest of Inspectors Monday Uchiola, Okechukwu Ogbonna and Sale James of the Police Command for what he described as unprofessional conduct, extortion and intimidation of innocent citizens.
NOTABLE Nigerian musician, Ayodeji Balogun, popularly known as @Wizkid on Sunday told President Muhammadu Buhari to heed the calls of Nigerian youths by addressing the brutal killings and forms of injustices allegedly perpetrated by the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) unit of the Nigerian Police.
He decried daily killings of the masses by the SARS Unit and the government’s perceived inaction to check the trend.
“Donald Trump is not your business! Old man,” Balogun asserted. “Police, SARS still killing Nigerian youth on a daily basis. Do something.”
“Nothing concerns you about America, face your country,” the musician with his over 7.2 million followers tweeted in response to Buhari’s earlier tweet on Saturday to sympathise with the United States president and his wife for contracting the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19).
Donald trump is not your business!
Old man! Police/Sarz still killing
Nigerian youth on a daily! Do something!
Nothing concern u for America!
Face your country !! https://t.co/thxmoYb7VE
He threw his weight behind the popular call to scrap the dreaded SARS group.
Beyond the President, the musician also tasked Babajide Sanwoolu, the Lagos State Governor through his verified social media handle to support the popular course against the police unit.
“…please do something, let’s be proud of you too…EndSars!!” he tweeted in response to Sanwoolu’s earlier assurance to take swift action on the matter.
The #EndSARS campaign has become an issue of national interest since the police unit allegedly arrested and shot some individuals over the weekend.
Nigerians have reacted differently to the development with prominent personalities calling for a scrap of the police team.
However, the presidency has remained silent despite the popular agitations.
The ICIR earlier contacted Garba Shehu, an official spokesperson to the President to seek his comment on the incident but he did not respond to a text message sent to his line.
“SARS arrested my brother sometimes ago, drove his car to a welder and scrapped off every identifiable chassis number on the vehicle and tagged it ‘stolen’, Chidinma @The_chidinma tweeted while sharing her experience.
“If you think those people are not despicable, you might just be the despicable one.”
Meanwhile, David Adeleke, another famous musician sought public supports against the reported abuses.
“If we all come together as brothers and sisters and also as citizens of this country, we can end this nonsense,” he tweeted via his @Davido social media account.
#endsarsnow !!!! If we all come together as brothers and sisters and also as citizens of this country we can end this Nonsense!! pic.twitter.com/TP2JazmETg
This is coming after Segun Awosanya mostly called @segalink called for the resignation of Mohammed Adamu, the Inspector General of Police over reported attacks by the SARS unit.
He threatened a massive protest if the authorities fail to take drastic action in a week.
“The entire country will shut down soon in a week if no action is taken by the President on the nationally organised crime syndicate the Police have become. We need the resignation of the IGP effective immediately and the full implementation of the new Police Act 2020,” Awosanya tweeted.
He has since self isolated in compliance with the COVID-19 protocols.
However, his doctors have been reported to have been “very concerned” over a fall in his blood oxygen level, but that he had improved and there was never a risk he would have to handover power.
Meadows’ comments to Fox News capped a day of back-and-forth in which conflicting reports about the president’s health created an opaque understanding of the leader’s actual fitness.
“He’s made unbelievable improvements from yesterday morning, when I know a number of us, the doctor and I, were very concerned,” Meadows said.
A source familiar with the president’s health — later named in US media as none other than Meadows — had given a contradictory assessment stating that “the president’s vitals over the last 24 hours were very concerning.”
The statement also seemed at odds with an assessment by White House doctors that the president was “doing very well.”
Meadows seemed to clarify late Saturday that comments pertaining to concerningly poor health had applied to the day prior.
“Yesterday morning, we were really concerned… he had a fever and his blood oxygen level had dropped rapidly,” Meadows told Fox.
However, “there was never a consideration and never even a risk of a transition of power,” Meadows said.
Late Saturday, White House doctor Sean Conley said Trump was “not yet out of the woods,” but that the medical team was “cautiously optimistic.”
Meadows echoed a similar sentiment stating that he was “very, very optimistic, based on the current results.”
The president posted a video to Twitter late Saturday appearing relaxed in an open-collar shirt and blue suit jacket, telling viewers he would be “back soon” — but acknowledging that the crucial coming days would be “the real test.”
FIFTEEN months after President Muhammadu Buhari ordered the implementation of the report of the Presidential Panel on Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) Reform, Nigerians again have renewed calls for an end to this unit under Nigeria Police Force after following reports that some SARS operatives shot allegedly dead a young man in Ughelli area of Delta State.
This special unit of the Police has in recent times been accused of illegal activities and brutalities on young Nigerians.
A Twitter user going by the name Mr. Somto Okonkwo had uploaded a recorded video showing a young man allegedly shot dead by SARS officials in front of Wetland hotels in Ughelli, Delta State.
In the video, Okonkwo wrote ” A Young Man Was Shot Dead Today In Broad Daylight By SARS Officers At Ughelli, Delta State. After Killing Him, They Stole His Car (Lexus Jeep) And Left His Body On The Road Side. SARS Officers Are Now Rogue Criminals In Uniform #EndSARS. Its Time The Youths Declared #WarOnSars.”
However, Hafiz Inuwa, Delta State Commissioner of Police in a report by ChannelsTV, denied the incident, stating that the young man allegedly shot was not dead.
“What happened was that they were on patrol when they saw a Lexus jeep parked by the roadside. Immediately, the Lexus jeep saw the patrol jeep, they just zoomed off,” Inuwa said.
“The police gave chase, caught up with the Lexus, and occupied it. However, one of the suspects tried to jump out of the moving vehicle and, in the process, sustained injuries. “He is still alive and in hospital,” he stated.
But this has prompted Nigerians to mount a campaign on social media demanding an end to SARS.
Trending under the hashtags; #EndSARS, #SARSbrutality, and #WaronSARS stories and video clips of SARS brutality flooded the internet.
A video by Twitter user, Emmylite_United, uploaded on September 26 showed some men in mufti believed to be SARS operatives bundling a young man who was shouting for helping into a car.
In the video, Emmylite_United is heard saying, “Rogue SARS officers are now moving around targeting and harassing young men using Uber and Bolt. This happened just right in front of me today. So bad.”
Also, another Twitter user sharing her experience said officers of SARS in Bayelsa State arrested her cousin who had just stepped out to have a hair cut.
She said, her 19-year-old cousin was arrested after the operatives found a picture of a white woman on his phone. “They demanded N50,000 for his release but eventually collected N35,000 to set him free, said the Twitter user, using the handle GloryBaee.
Atiku Abubakar, a former Vice President, Sunday Dare, the Minister of Youths and Sports Development, Bukola Saraki, former Senate President and Kwara and human rights group, Amnesty International, have also joined those who condemned the recurring SARS brutality.
While Abubakar, Saraki and AI condemned and called on the Buhari led Federal Government to reform SARS, Dare, promised that investigation would be carried out on the recent allegation.
The former Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) presidential candidate described the SARS unit of the police as oppressors of the Nigerian masses.
He said the police unit had succeeded in abusing peoples right under the watch of President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration and demanded an urgent review.
“The Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) unit of the Police was set up to confront violent crimes such as armed robbery, kidnapping, and other related crimes. However, the unit has today morphed into an oppressor of the Nigerian masses who strive every day for a better life,” he said.
“It is expected that the activities of SARS reviewed to ensure that the rogue elements are excised from the unit and sanity returned to its operations.”
On his part, Saraki who described SARS as the rogue cells of the @PoliceNG urged the Federal Government to immediately put a stop to these reprehensible activities and restructure the unit.
“The reports of the continued harassment, illegal arrest, detention and high handedness by rogue cells of the SARS Unit of @PoliceNG against innocent Nigerians – most of them young people – in spite of efforts to reform the Police & raise standards of policing, are disheartening,” Saraki said.
“A situation where the officers of @PoliceNG become a threat to the lives and property of the very citizens they swore to protect is condemnable and unacceptable.”
“I call on the Federal Government to immediately put a stop to these reprehensible activities and restructure the unit to better perform its lawful duties of safeguarding the lives and property of the Nigerian people.”
Bankole Wellington, Musician, and Nollywood artiste popularly known as Banky-W also has demanded an immediate response from the government.
“How many young Nigerians will have to be robbed/ kidnapped/killed by SARS before our Government takes it seriously? The “Special Anti-Robbery Squad” is doing the robbing?! Such a disgrace. What will it take for our “leaders” to do something about it? he said,
Amnesty International in calling for an end to police brutality in Nigeria said the majority of the victims of torture in SARS custody are poor and unable to hire legal representatives.
It stated further that the police unit created to protect Nigerians has instead become a danger to society, torturing its victims with complete impunity while fomenting a toxic climate of fear and corruption.
It also said SARS officers are getting rich through their brutality.
“In Nigeria, it seems that torture is a lucrative business. Police torture is a stain on Nigerian society that must be addressed with clear orders to law enforcement officers not to inflict torture or other ill-treatment on detainees under any circumstances” the global human rights watchdog said.
Dare Sunday, the Minister of Youths and Sports Development has said the Federal Government would look into the reports of increasing menace and harassment of Nigerians by SARS.
John Joshua-Akanji, the Special Assistant to the Minister in a statement issued on Saturday said Dare had been monitoring reports of the attacks by SARS, disclosing that the incident has been brought to the attention of relevant security agencies and would be investigated.
“The ministry of youth and sports is worried about the menace, increasing harassments and attacks by SARS, especially targeted at youths and other innocent members of the public, and brought it to the attention of the relevant security agencies in Abuja,” the statement read.
Past government efforts on SARS reform
The incessant harassment and brutality of Nigerians by SARS have in the past led some Nigerians to call for the disbandment of the unit. There have been allegations of arbitrary arrest, extortion, torture, and murder against operatives of SARS by Nigerians.
After a nationwide outcry in 2018, Yemi Osinbajo, Nigerian Vice-President ordered the total overhaul of the Special Anti-robbery Squad (SARS) of the Nigerian Police Force.
Laolu Akande, a media aide to the Vice-President in a statement said Osinbajo, then as an Acting President gave the directive “following persistent complaints and reports on the activities of SARS”.
He was reported to have directed the Inspector General of Police to, with immediate effect, overhaul the management and activities of SARS and ensure that any unit that will emerge from the process, will be intelligence-driven and restricted to the prevention and detection of armed robbery and kidnapping, and apprehension of offenders linked to the stated offences, and nothing more.
Mohammed Adamu, the Inspector General of Police in January 2019 after the then Acting President directives ordered the disbandment of the Federal Special Anti-robbery Robbery Squad (FSARS), Special Investigation Panel (SIP), and Special Tactical Squad (STS).
President Buhari in June 2019 who received the report of the Presidential Panel on SARS Reform, ordered that its recommendations be implemented.
He directed the Inspector-General of Police, the Ministry of Justice, and the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to work out modalities for the implementation of the report of the Presidential Panel on the Reform of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) within three months.
But SARS brutality and killings didn’t end as eight months after Buhari’s directives, Kazeem Tiamiyu, a footballer with Remo Stars Football Club was allegedly killed by operatives of SARS.
The ICIR also in April of 2020 reported about how several other cases of SARS killings that had been reported in the news and shared on social media.
ATIKU Abubakar, a former Nigerian Vice-President on has described the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) unit of the Police as oppressors of the Nigerian masses.
The former Vice President joined other Nigerians to condemn the highhandedness of SARS which started trending on Saturday on social media.
He said the police unit had succeeded in abusing peoples right under the watch of President Muhammadu Buhari-led administration and demanded an urgent review.
The special unit has in recent times been accused of illegal activities and brutalities on young Nigerians suspected of fraudulent enterprises.
Atiku Abubakar who was the presidential candidate of the opposition party, PDP in the 2019 election said the unit was set up to curb armed robbery, kidnapping, and other related activities lamented that its operational activities have allegedly transited to human rights abuse.
“The Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) unit of the Police was set up to confront violent crimes such as armed robbery, kidnapping, and other related crimes. However, the unit has today morphed into an oppressor of the Nigerian masses who strive every day for a better life,” he said.
“It is expected that the activities of SARS reviewed to ensure that the rogue elements are excised from the unit and sanity returned to its operations.”
He condemned the reoccurring abuses and “cruel actions” against the people and tasked the Federal Government to address the situation.
“…rise to the occasion and nip this monstrosity in the bud with the seriousness it deserves. Reports of intimidation, harassment and outright extortion by officers of the SARS have continued unabated,” he added.
On Saturday, some SARS operatives were alleged to have shot an unidentified man to death in a broad daylight at Ughelli, Delta State.
In viral footage shared by @MrSomtoOkonkwo on social media, there were claims that the security officials left the victim after shooting at him and allegedly went away with his Lexus Jeep.
A picture of the unidentified man also appeared in the footage while some individuals attempted to chase the suspected police vehicle with an inscription – Save Delta, Ugheli 009.
Garba Shehu, the Presidential Spokesperson was contacted for reaction and if there were plans to review operations of the special unit but The ICIR got no response from him.
In 2018, Vice President Yemi Osinbajo directed Ibrahim Idris, the former Inspector General of Police to probe reported cases of abuse by the unit.
Osinbajo sought for a complete overhaul of the anti-robbery squad and tasked the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to also conduct an investigation on the allegations.
The Amnesty International particularly expressed concerns beyond the directive to overhaul, stressing that there should be deliberate and concrete actions to protect Nigerians.
In 2019, the NHRC concluded its probe on the unlawful activities, noting much has changed in the several allegations against the special unit.
ENOCH Adeboye, the General Overseer of the Redeemed Christian Church of God (RCCG) on Saturday advised the Federal Government to consider restructuring the current system of government to proffer possible solutions to challenges confronting the country.
Adeboye also craved the Federal Government to recognise traditional rulers as important actors in shaping the polity.
He spoke at a 60th Independence Day Celebration Symposium co-organised by the church in collaboration with the Nehemiah Leadership Institute.
The restructuring idea, he emphasised should be considered as soon as possible.
According to him, traditional rulers are recognised and respected in different parts of the country noting that while some people were ignorant of their local government chairmen, such was not the case with traditional rulers.
“I find it very ridiculous that one will ask a traditional ruler to inform the chairman of his local government before he travels,” Adeboye said.
“Go to any town in Nigeria, everybody in the town knows the paramount ruler in the town and they respect him (but) many of them don’t even know the name of the chairman of their local government.”
“The traditional rulers are the actual landlords; they control the respect of their people. Their people will listen to them much more, I am sorry to say than they will listen to some politicians.”
He wondered why the nation should not have a system of government that is fully Nigerian and recognises the nation’s peculiarity.
“Why can’t we have a system of government that is 100 per cent Nigerian, unique to us? For example, we started on with the British system of government, somewhere along the line, we moved over to the American system of government,” Adeboye said.
“Can’t we have a combination of both and see whether it could help us solve our problems because in Mathematics if you want to solve a problem, you try what we call Real Analysis, then if it doesn’t work, then you move on to Complex Analysis and see whether that will help you. If that fails, you move on to Vector Analysis and so on.”
“I believe that we might want to look at the problems of Nigeria in a slightly different manner. Some people feel that all our problems will be over if Nigeria should break up. I think that is trying to solve the problems of Nigeria as if it is a Simple Equation. The problems of Nigeria will require quite a bit of Simultaneous Equation and some of them are not going to be Linear either – forgive me I am talking as a Mathematician.”
The clergy, who was a lecturer at the Department of Mathematics of the University of Lagos further explained that the nation could create a system that would recognise the functionality of the country as the United States of Nigeria.
It is either the nation restructures or it breaks, Adeboye added.
“…Let me explain. We all know that we must restructure. It is either we restructure or we break, you don’t have to be a prophet to know that one. That is certain – restructure or we break up. Now, we don’t want to break up, God forbid. In the restructuring, why don’t we have a Nigerian kind of democracy? At the federal level, why don’t we have a President and a Prime Minister?, he said.
“If we have a President and a Prime Minister and we share responsibilities between these two so that one is not an appendage to the other. For example, if the President controls the Army and the Prime Minister controls the Police. If the President controls resources like oil and mining and the Prime Minister controls finance and inland revenue, taxes, customs etc. You just divide responsibilities between the two.”
“At the state level, you have the governor and the premier, and the same way, you distribute responsibilities between these people in such a manner that one cannot really go without the other. Maybe we might begin to tackle the problems.”
Speaking on the role of traditional rulers, Adeboye added that, “If we are going to adopt the model, then we need to urgently restore the House of Chiefs. I have a feeling that one of our major problems is that we have pushed the traditional rulers to the background and I believe that is a great error particularly for a great country like Nigeria.
“Without any doubt, we must restructure and do it as soon as possible. A United States of Nigeria is likely to survive than our present structure.” He noted.
NOT Less than 1,500 officials of the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) have been deployed for the October 10 governorship election in Ondo State, Bisi Kazeem, the Corps’ Public Education Officer said on Saturday.
The officials are to enforce movement restrictions for the successful conduct of the gubernatorial election.
Kazeem, in a statement issued in Abuja, said the team is headed by Godwin Ogagaoghene, an Assistant Corps Marshal (ACM) from the Zonal Commanding Officer RS11HQ Osogbo, and assisted by Hyginus Omeje, the ACM in charge of Federal Operations, A. Hassan, Sector Commander Ondo State, Corps Commander and others.
He also disclosed that Boboye Oyeyemi, Corps Marshall also approved 35 vehicles, including tow trucks, ambulances, and other operational vehicles to support the electoral process in the 18 local government areas of the state during the poll.
“The operatives will enforce the restriction of movement order, certification of vehicles to be used to convey electoral materials, removal of obstructions and rescue operations as well as maintaining orderliness at assigned polling booths,” Kazeem said in the statement.
The ICIR earlier reported the deployment of Naval Officers, Marine Police, among other top security operatives in the force to help maintain law and order as the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) prepares for the Saturday election.
Boboye, however, urged the security officials to remain professional in their conduct and ensure compliance with the necessary directives.
SHUAIBU Ibrahim, Director-General of the National Youth Service Corps (NYSC), has appealed to all stakeholders in Ondo State to provide adequate security for corps members that will be engaged as polling officials in the forthcoming gubernatorial election in the state.
Ibrahim said the corps members are apolitical and are focused on contributing their quota towards national development.
The NYSC DG stated this during a courtesy visit to the Deji of Akure, Oba Aladetoyinbo Ogunlade Aladelusi, and the Olowo of Owo Kingdom, Oba Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunoye III in their palaces.
He assured that the youth on national service would perform the election duties with a high sense of responsibility and neutrality, but added that all stakeholders must contribute towards giving them maximum protection.
Ibrahim who appreciated the monarchs for their support for NYSC stressed that the scheme places a high premium on the welfare and security of the corps members.
“I want to plead with the good people of Ondo State to protect my corps members,” he said.
“We want to ensure that our corps members are safe as we look forward to a hitch-free election.”
He further urged residents of the state to tap from the potentials of corps members for socio-economic development, adding that their knowledge, loyalty, and dedication to duty were of immense benefit.
Responding, the Deji of Akure commended the NYSC scheme for its role in mentoring the nation’s youth.
He added that residents of Ondo State were looking up to the corps members’ credible conduct of the governorship election.
“We believe in them because they are up to the task and residents of the Ondo State trust them”, the monarch said.
The Olowo of Owo Kingdom, Oba Ajibade Gbadegesin Ogunoye lauded the NYSC for contributing towards enhancing the credibility of Nigeria’s electoral system. He assured that adequate steps would be taken to protect corps members on election duties.
“Corps members are treasures that must be protected and no matter what, nothing will happen to them in this kingdom and even in Ondo State l can assure you of their safety,” he said.
“The NYSC Scheme has been a source of pride for the nation because it is uniting us.”
During separate visits to the 32 Artillery Brigade Nigerian Army, Owena, Akure, OndoState Command of the Department of State Services, and the State Police Command, the Director-General appealed to the agencies to provide adequate security for all corps members before, during, and after the election.
In their responses, Zakari Abubakar, the Brigade Commander, 32 Artillery Brigade Nigerian Army, Emmanuel Esomonu Director, Department of State Services, and Salami Amidu Bolaji, State Commissioner of Police, all assured that measures had been put in place for the protection of all corps members during the election.
The NYSC DG charged the corps members that will serve as election officials to abide strictly by the electoral laws and be security conscious.
“Do not do anything that contravenes the law. If you run foul of the law NYSC will not be there for you.
“Be security conscious, don’t cut corners, and use only the vehicles accredited by INEC,” Ibrahim said.
