THE Commissioner of Police, Enugu State Command, Mr Suleiman Balarabe, has assured the people that the police would give maximum protection to election officials in the forthcoming general elections in the state.

Balarabe gave the assurance on Wednesday in Enugu during a courtesy visit by the management of National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) in the state, led by the State Coordinator, Alhaji Ahmed Ikaka.

The commissioner said that unlike in the past when greater attention was paid to election materials, the security and safety of every participant in the 2019 exercise would be paramount.

He, however,promised that corps members deployed for the exercise would receive special attention, in terms of providing cover for them.

“The NYSC is a great partner we work with and I assure you that we will do more to assist corps members deployed as ad hoc staff for the exercise.

“We know that the state is peaceful, but we are not taking anything for granted,” he said.

Balarabe, who was recently redeployed to the state for the elections, said that “as those who passed through the NYSC, we must pay back for what the NYSC did for us.”

Earlier, Ikaka said that the visit was to reinforce earlier appeal for the protection of corps members deployed for the exercise.

He said that NYSC was not taking for granted the relationship it had with the command in terms of providing protection for corps members serving in the state.

“We have 10, 000 of our members that will participate in the elections as ad hoc staff.

“We know the nature of elections, though Enugu is peaceful, we are not taking anything for granted.

“So we have come to reinforce the strong ties that exist between us,” he said.

Ikaka said that the corps members needed to be protected before, during and after the elections due to the backlash associated with the process.

“As a new Commissioner of Police, we have come to know you and we hope that the good relationship that exists between us continues.” (NAN)

– Feb. 20, 2019 @ 14:12 GMT |