Ahead of the 2015 general election, 55 persons have been killed in political violence across 22 states of the federation, according to a document seen by TheCable.
There are fears that there may be underreporting of the casualty figures, with the killings taking place in all of Nigeria’s six geo-political zones.
Lagos, Kaduna and Rivers are rated as the most violence-prone in this election season, according to projections in the report by the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) to be released on Saturday.
Over 700 were killed in southern Kaduna alone in the 2011 election violence — out of the official death toll of 943, for which nobody was put on trial.
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The NHRC advisory will come as scant consolation to security agencies which are already battling insurgency in the north-east, chronic inter-communal and ethnic conflict in the north-central, and militancy in the south-south.
The original dates of the elections were moved Saturday last week by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) citing security concerns, reportedly prompted by the military which said it would not be able to partake in the security arrangements.
In the report, titled A Pre-Election Report and Advisory on Violence in Nigeria’s 2015 General Elections, the human rights commission expressed concern over the “bellicose rhetoric, a rise in hate speech, and a worrisome footprint of election-related violence”.
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Over a 50-day period starting from last December, NHRC said it received reports of more than 60 separate incidents of election-related violence from 22 states “spread across the six geo-political zones of Nigeria”.
An unspecified number of people were also injured in the incidents.
In 2015, the commission said it has so far received 10 serious complaints for investigation or adjudication from political parties, NGOs, legal practitioners or private individuals — “all alleging election-related violence or hate speech”.
NHRC reminded the government and political leaders of their responsibilities to prevent election violence as they could be brought to trial under international laws.
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It also reminded INEC, security agencies, the media and the clergy on their responsibilities.
2 comments
the killings may increase geometrically when PDP wins the general election, but that will not stop us from voting mr president.
Jorge Ikuba, how is this story of pre-election killings about PDP or your GEJ? If you can read this at all, I assume that you went to school. Stop commenting like an illiterate. The issue on ground is not the issue of PDP or APC, GMB or GEJ. And which inroad or achievement are you talking about? Jonathan has failed and the evidence is all around us-insecurity, corruption, poverty, naira devaluation, rising unemployment, no electricity. Instead of job, he gave our youths looking for NIS job death, missing money everyday in billions. How can any right thinking person say this Jonathan is the best leader Nigeria deserves for another 4 years? And what has John Kerry got to do with your ranting. You and NorthE of whatever he calls himself can vote whoever you like. You don get used to suffer suffer and you don’t want change. Na you sabi!It’s this kind of stupidity that makes some people to go about killing in the name of politics. I condemn killings, I want change. We will kick out this useless government with our PVC. We no sabi fight.