Observers condemn deployment of masked security agents

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"> <h1 class="entry-title" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-image: url(http://www.punchng.com/wp-content/themes/punch/images/dots-horizontal.gif); background-position: 0% 100%; background-repeat: repeat no-repeat; border-top-color: rgb(255, 1, 1) !important; border-top-style: solid !important; border-top-width: 1px !important; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-top: 10px; padding: 9px 4px;"> <img alt="President Jonathan and Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh" class="attachment-bigstoryimage" height="240" scale="0" src="http://www.punchng.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/06/Jonathan-360x240.jpg" style="border: none; float: left; margin-right: 10px; padding: 4px;" width="360" /><span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">President Jonathan and Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh</span></h1> <div class="entry-content" style="overflow: hidden;"> <div class="story-featured-image" style="border: 1px solid rgb(221, 221, 221); float: left; margin-bottom: 5px; margin-right: 15px; width: 368px;"> <div class="featured-image-caption" style="clear: both; font-weight: bold; margin-bottom: 5px; padding: 5px 10px 0px;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><small style="font-weight: normal;"><em>| credits: File copy</em></small></span></div> </div> <div id="nrelate_flyout_placeholder"> <div style="padding: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div> <div style="padding: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);"><br /></span></div> <div style="padding: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room has criticized the deployment of masked security agents for the Osun State governorship election which held on Saturday.</span></div> <div style="padding: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">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.</span></div> <div style="padding: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">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.</span></div> <div style="padding: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">The NCSSR commended the conduct of the election while hailing the Independent National Electoral Commission over the conduct of the election.</span></div> <div style="padding: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">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.</span></div> <div style="padding: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“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.</span></div> <div style="padding: 0px 0px 5px; text-align: left;"> <span style="background-color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0);">“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.”</span></div> <div> <br /></div> </div> </div> </div>

Observers condemn deployment of masked security agents

President Jonathan and Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Alex Badeh | credits: File copy The Nigeria Civil Society Sit...

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