2019 polls: Police tasked on rapid response to distress calls

YOUTHS activists in Bauchi State have appealed to officers and men of the Nigerian Police personnel to as a matter of necessity ensure rapid response to distress calls by voters, election officials and observers in areas of troubles ahead of the upcoming February and March general elections in the country.

Bauchi State Coordinator of an NGO known as ‘Vote Not Fight Campaign’, Comrade Muhammad Auwal Adamu made the appeal Tuesday when he led other activists to pay courtesy visits to the State Police headquarters and INEC office as part of their campaign for a violence-free poll.

Auwal Adamu also charged the Police to be fair to all political parties in the discharge of their professional responsibilities of keeping the peace before, during and after the elections and ensure to prosecute electoral offenders including political actors without immunity.

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The activists also charged the Police to train their officers and men to be civil and allow every voter to exercise his/her constitutional rights without any form of intimidation or restriction during the exercise.

“The Vote Not Fight, election no be war campaign is a non-partisan and youth-focused voter education campaign that has been promoting constructive youth participation in Nigeria’s political and electoral processes since the 2015 general elections. The campaign seeks to increase youth voter turnout and mobilise against hate speech, electoral violence and vote buying “. He explained.

While responding on behalf of the State Commissioner of Police, the Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Kamal Datti Abubakar commended the youths for the gesture and said that the command is committed to ensuring peaceful elections in the state.

He said the February 16 and March 2nd offers an opportunity for Nigerians to decide their representatives at various levels of government urging the electorate to shun violence throughout the election period.

While at INEC office, the youth activists charged election officials to be professional and neutral as well as display openness and transparency in all elections activities.