President Jonathan and Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh
| credits: File copy
The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room has criticized the deployment of masked security agents for the Osun State governorship election which held on Saturday.
The coordinator of the NCSSR, Mr. Clement Nwankwo, while giving an interim report on the election on Sunday, said the use of masked security agents was strange and should no longer be condoned.
The group said the Saturday election was conducted in a largely orderly and peaceful manner throughout the 30 local government areas and 322 wards of the state. It noted that stakeholders worked together to ensure that the result of the poll represented the wish of the people.
The NCSSR commended the conduct of the election while hailing the Independent National Electoral Commission over the conduct of the election.
It said, “There was the disturbing presence of masked security operatives particularly from the Department of State Service, who reportedly intruded in the electoral process in some polling units and generally harassed the public and election monitors and observers.
“This culture of hooded gunmen ostensibly acting in the capacity of legitimate state operatives is thoroughly condemned and has no place in nurturing a democracy in which the citizens are not terrorised by agents of State.
“There was no formal registry of the names, numbers and specific functions of the various armed agencies that were deployed in Osun State, raising questions about the authenticity, legitimacy and functions of some of the armed groups seen.”
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