As the first batch of Nigeria’s 2023 general elections takes place today, thousands of personnel from various agencies have been deployed across the country to ensure the peaceful conduct of the polls.
Two weeks ago, the Inspector-General of Police, Usman Baba, disclosed that as many as 310,973 personnel and 1,240 patrol vans would be deployed for the general elections.
He explained that the personnel would be drawn from various agencies to man each polling unit nationwide, while the armed personnel will secure the public space, Independent National Electoral Commission’s facilities, vulnerable locations, and border areas.
They will also undertake armed escort duties for INEC personnel materials and local and international observers.
Below is a breakdown of all the staffing requirements that have been made for the conduct of the election exercise so far.
Adhoc staff: The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC said more than 1.4 million ad-hoc staff would be trained in the effective usage of the Bimodal Voter Registration Systems (BVAS) for the 2023 general elections (national and state) in Nigeria.
The Ad hoc staff includes presiding supervisory officers, presiding officers, assistant presiding officers, registration area technicians, registration area centre managers and returning officers.
National Youth Corps members: The National Youth Service Corps, NYSC said the Corps has deployed over 200,000 corps members as ad hoc staff for the 2023 general elections.
The corps members expected to participate in the elections have already been trained by the officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) both in and outside orientation camps.
Police force: The Police force deployed 310,973 of its personnel to the over 176,846 polling units nationwide.
The personnel would consist of conventional policemen and women, the mobile police, the special counter-terrorism unit, Special Forces, the intelligence response team and other sections of the police.
- Also, “Aside from this personnel, the military and the DSS will be on the ground as well as other security agencies numbering about 93,495 personnel for the election. The deployment would cover the National Collation centre in Abuja and other collation centres nationwide.”
National Security and Civil Defense Corp: The Force also said this number would be augmented with 51,000 personnel from the National Security and Civil Defense Corps,
Federal Road Safety Corps: This will consist of 21,000 from the Federal Road Safety Corps.
Nigeria Correctional Service: This will consist of 11,336 from the Nigeria Correctional Service.
National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency: This will consist of 9,447 from the National Drugs Law Enforcement Agency.
Economic and Financial Crimes Commission: This will consist of 350 personnel from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission.
