The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has
disclosed that not less than 50 people were killed
during and after last Saturday’s presidential and
National Assembly elections.
In a statement signed by the Chairman of the
commission’s Governing Council, Dr Chidi Odinkalu, the
NHRC commended the Nigerian people for refusing to
be cowed by hiccups in the electoral process.
Odinkalu noted that the voting process was not
without some challenges, including pockets of violence
and security breaches.
According to him, from different parts of the country,
there have been incidents, reports and allegations of
various forms of violence, including some reported
attacks by extremists in some parts of North-eastern
Nigeria designed to frustrate the exercise of the
franchise.
He said acts of violence resulting in fatalities had been
reported in Akwa Ibom, Borno, Bauchi, Edo, Gombe,
Lagos, Osun, Rivers, and Yobe States.
“At the end of yesterday, the number of persons
reported, killed in these attacks and incidents is over
50.
“This number includes one state legislator, a
community leader and two (2) ad-hoc election staff of
the Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC), who have allegedly been killed in an extremist
attack in Gombe State, as well as the killing of an
asset of the Nigerian armed forces in Rivers State.
“There were also reported cases of injuries from
politically-motivated violence in Edo, Ekiti, Imo, Lagos,
and Kano States as well as allegations of snatching of
ballot boxes, Card Readers and related election
materials in some states, like Akwa Ibom, Benue,
Gombe, Imo, Niger, and Rivers he said.”
Odinkalu said there were also isolated but very
worrying reports of arson attacks on assets of INEC
and of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) in parts of the
Niger Delta.
The commission also noted that widespread availability
of small arms and light weapons (SALW) in some parts
of the country, especially in parts of Akwa Ibom, Imo,
Delta, Rivers, and Benue States. Odinkalu
commiserated with the families of those who lost their
relatives but said those who killed them should be held
accountable.
He said: “All acts of election-related violence must be
condemned unreservedly. The affected families and
communities deserve our condolences, compassion
and support.
“In particular, we condemn the killing of and attacks
on uniformed personnel of the security agencies as
well as the killing of INEC staff. Those responsible
must be held to account.
“Such political violence dishonoursthe high sense of
civic pride, sacrifice and co-existence showed by
Nigerians throughout this period. “The right to life
remains the foundation of all human rights, including
the right to vote. Election violence undermines both
the right to life and the right to vote.”
He called on INEC and politicians not to tamper with
collation of election results in order to ensure that the
election is not followed by violence. He said: “Now
that the voting is over, the best guarantee of a
violence-free election is a credible count and collation.
This is the statutory responsibility of INEC.
“The tabulation of results from 150,000 polling units
and voting points are demanding logistical operation. It
is also usually the most difficult phase of any election
process. It is natural for citizens and communities to
be anxious.
“This is also where conscience and patriotism beckon
on all the political parties, political leaders,
communities, citizens and institutions to do the right
thing: we must all patiently support the INEC in
delivering on this task.”
disclosed that not less than 50 people were killed
during and after last Saturday’s presidential and
National Assembly elections.
In a statement signed by the Chairman of the
commission’s Governing Council, Dr Chidi Odinkalu, the
NHRC commended the Nigerian people for refusing to
be cowed by hiccups in the electoral process.
Odinkalu noted that the voting process was not
without some challenges, including pockets of violence
and security breaches.
According to him, from different parts of the country,
there have been incidents, reports and allegations of
various forms of violence, including some reported
attacks by extremists in some parts of North-eastern
Nigeria designed to frustrate the exercise of the
franchise.
He said acts of violence resulting in fatalities had been
reported in Akwa Ibom, Borno, Bauchi, Edo, Gombe,
Lagos, Osun, Rivers, and Yobe States.
“At the end of yesterday, the number of persons
reported, killed in these attacks and incidents is over
50.
“This number includes one state legislator, a
community leader and two (2) ad-hoc election staff of
the Independent National Electoral Commission
(INEC), who have allegedly been killed in an extremist
attack in Gombe State, as well as the killing of an
asset of the Nigerian armed forces in Rivers State.
“There were also reported cases of injuries from
politically-motivated violence in Edo, Ekiti, Imo, Lagos,
and Kano States as well as allegations of snatching of
ballot boxes, Card Readers and related election
materials in some states, like Akwa Ibom, Benue,
Gombe, Imo, Niger, and Rivers he said.”
Odinkalu said there were also isolated but very
worrying reports of arson attacks on assets of INEC
and of the Nigeria Police Force (NPF) in parts of the
Niger Delta.
The commission also noted that widespread availability
of small arms and light weapons (SALW) in some parts
of the country, especially in parts of Akwa Ibom, Imo,
Delta, Rivers, and Benue States. Odinkalu
commiserated with the families of those who lost their
relatives but said those who killed them should be held
accountable.
He said: “All acts of election-related violence must be
condemned unreservedly. The affected families and
communities deserve our condolences, compassion
and support.
“In particular, we condemn the killing of and attacks
on uniformed personnel of the security agencies as
well as the killing of INEC staff. Those responsible
must be held to account.
“Such political violence dishonoursthe high sense of
civic pride, sacrifice and co-existence showed by
Nigerians throughout this period. “The right to life
remains the foundation of all human rights, including
the right to vote. Election violence undermines both
the right to life and the right to vote.”
He called on INEC and politicians not to tamper with
collation of election results in order to ensure that the
election is not followed by violence. He said: “Now
that the voting is over, the best guarantee of a
violence-free election is a credible count and collation.
This is the statutory responsibility of INEC.
“The tabulation of results from 150,000 polling units
and voting points are demanding logistical operation. It
is also usually the most difficult phase of any election
process. It is natural for citizens and communities to
be anxious.
“This is also where conscience and patriotism beckon
on all the political parties, political leaders,
communities, citizens and institutions to do the right
thing: we must all patiently support the INEC in
delivering on this task.”
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