The Independent Electoral Commission has called on the security agencies to check the proliferation of small arms in the country.

The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) Bayelsa State, Mr. Baritor Kpagih, made the call on Wednesday in Yenagoa during a one-day sensitisation seminar for officers and men of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps.
Kpagih, represented by the state Head of Voter Registration, Mr. Victor Egbonwan, said combing the nooks and crannies of the country to mop up small arms was a panacea for avoiding electoral violence.

Kpagih said, “We know that there are small arms everywhere. If we look out for them, we will be able to contain electoral violence.

“The NSCDC and other security agencies have a lot to do to make 2015 general elections a success.”
He said electoral violence had assumed a dangerous dimension in Nigeria, stressing that statistics put the deaths arising from it to 11,000 between 1999 and 2006.

He said if statistics were available up till date, the number would have sorely increased since then, particularly after the 2011 polls.

He called for good governance, enhanced security, responsible leadership from politicians as well as highly ethical reportage from the media as some of the indicators that will guarantee free elections.

He said, “From the perspective of INEC, efforts to make the polls as god as possible began immediately after the 2011 general elections.

“Today, we have the best voters register ever in Nigeria.  The voting process has been refined and streamlined albeit the entire electoral process has been imbued with a large dose of technology that will help to bring about a number of checks and balances.”

In his remarks, Commandant, NSCDC, Bayelsa State, Mr. Desmond Agu, said his officers and men were fully prepared for the general elections in the state.

He advised his operatives to be wary of politicians, saying they should be guided by the ethics of the service.

Agu said the command organised the seminar to sensitise officers and men of their roles as well as to assure the civil populace, eligible voters and politicians of its avowed commitment in maintaining law and order in conjunction with other security agencies.