Cleen Foundation, a Non-Governmental Organisation (NGO), has donated 220 gallons of 250ml hand sanitisers, 704 facemasks and 503 copies of COVID-19 Police guidelines to the Edo State command of the Nigeria Police Force.
Mr Benson Olugbuo, the Executive Director of the foundation made this known in a statement on Thursday in Abuja.
Olugbuo said that the donation of the Personal Protective Equipment (PPEs) to the police was for the protection of the police officers that would be deployed for the Edo off-cycle governorship election slated for Sept. 19.
He noted that the donation was in collaboration with the Nigeria Security Support Group (CNSSG) and with the support of the British High Commission under its inaugurated Policing Pandemic Project.
“We have trained observers that would be deployed to report compliance and violations of citizen’s rights across the 774 Local Government Areas in the forth coming state elections.
“We have also partnered to provide the police that would be deployed on Election Day for security purpose with the necessary PPEs.
“There are 220 gallons of 250ml hand sanitisers, 704 facemasks and 503 copies of the COVID-19 policing guidelines.
“The same quantity would be distributed across all the state police commands in Nigeria,” he said.
He said that the donation was in recognition of the role of the police force as the lead security agency in securing lives and property of citizens as provided by the 1999 Constitution.
Olugbuo commended the efforts of the Edo Police command in dousing tensions and mitigating electoral violence toward the countdown of the state elections.
He urged the force to be non-partisan and professional before, during and after the elections in a bid to promote free, fair and credible polls.
“The police should abide by the Code of Conduct and Rules of Engagement for Security Personnel on Electoral Duty developed by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC).
“Political actors should also abide by the guiding rules in the peace accord brokered by the National Peace Committee to eschew all forms of political violence and disruptive actions that will affect the integrity of the elections,” he said.
He urged INEC to ensure strict adherence to its guidelines for the conduct of elections and clearly map out punitive measures for election stakeholders who flout the commission’s COVID-19 guidelines.
Olugbuo also appealed to voters to comply with National Centre for Disease Control’s (NCDC’s) laid down guidelines and INEC policy in conducting elections especially as regards COVID-19 protocols.
Cleen Foundation, formerly known as Centre for Law Enforcement Education in Nigeria stands to promote public safety, security, justice, research, and advocacy in Nigeria.(NAN)
