Joint task-force ready to conduct free, fair and credible election in Anambra

www.odogwublog.com reports that the joint security task-force says it is prepared to ensure a free, fair and credible election in Anambra come March 28 and April 11, 2015.

The Commander of Onitsha Military Cantonment, Col. Mohammed Bello, said this on Thursday after a joint task-force simulation (mock) voting exercise to showcase the role and channel of communication of security agencies on the Election Day.

The mock voting exercise, which was tagged ``Exercise Nsogbuadiro (No problem) for 2015 General Elections’’ was held at the Onitsha Military Cantonment.

Bello said that the exercise was meant to see how the synergy between the security agencies would work out as well as see practical lapses, which needed to be addressed before the election.

 

``Yes, Onitsha is not known for election violence because it is in the urban area and there are units here to contain any problems that may arise.

``But where we think there would be problems is at the hinterlands, the riverine areas, in the rural areas where we have less security agencies massive deployed.

``But we have put in adequate measures to ensure that we have a cover, we cover those areas in terms of troop deployment.

``And to that regard we have a good communication network and then mobile patrols will dominant those areas that are isolated or rural in nature.

``So, we are adequately preparing towards the elections 2015; as directed by our appropriate superior authorities,’’ he said.

  

The commander said that the task-force would not trample on any bodies right; however, the person might be questioned and searched if move or motive looks or sounds suspicious.

Bello said that every member of the task-force would be given specific security tags as well as duties; which would clearly identify the officer and his/her work during the election.

``While the military within the task-force would be deployed within the major exit and entry to the state as well as other strategic places; but the police would then deal with the community and its people directly.

``Our duty as the military is not close to the people, community or the polling booth except if we are invited by the police to quell a troublesome scene,’’ he said.

The security agencies under the joint task-force in Anambra that participated in the mock voting exercise included: the army, navy, police, DSS, Nigeria Security and Civil Defence, FRSC, Prisons, immigrations and customs.