THE National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has expressed concern over what it described as the frightening and increasing trend of electoral violence by major political actors.
The Chairman, NHRC, Chidi Odinkalu, who spoke at a news conference in Abuja yesterday, expressed fears about the commission’s findings during its recent visit to Lagos, Kaduna and Rivers states, identified as the states with high electoral violent potentials.
Odinkalu said the outcome of the NHRC’s visitation team to states captured in its February 13 pre-election violence report and advisory, revealed a frightening trend.
He noted that since the commission’s February 13 report, which revealed that 58 pre-election killings were recorded, more of such deaths have been recorded.
But, many political actors have argued that the NHRC was conservative in its death figure.
Odinkalu said the number of pre-election violence incident reports and complaints, submitted to the commission, has increased from 10 to 30.
He added that there were evidence of major political actors’ preference for self-help as against depending on the security agencies and state-owned dispute resolution mechanisms.
“Visits to the states confirmed the assessments in the report and advisory. Certain patterns were very evident from these locations, which predispose them to a potential for significant election-related violence,” he said.
The NHRC boss named some of the identified patterns as including the deliberate arming and empowerment of militias and gangs by leading political parties, increase importation and utilisation of small arms and light weapons; increased substance abuse and psychotropic substances, among others
“In Kaduna, Lagos and Rivers states, the state governments made allegations of the use of violence or threats of violence as an instrument of coercion by the opposition party in the state.
“All the institutions, entities and communities whom we consulted with affirmed that hate speech was at unprecedented levels and nearly all warned that the level of such hate now presents a clear threat to national cohesion, irrespective of the outcome of the elections.
“In Rivers and Kaduna, in particular, we received very credible indications that PVCS may have been “bought wholesale” by politicians or communities and indications that the practice of “community voting” could seriously endanger both plans for credible elections and the safety of staff engaged to organise or administer them. These are on a level that must be taken seriously by both INEC and the security agencies.
“In all the locations, the parties suggest that the accords signed between the parties to promote issued-based campaigning and refrain from violence had broken down almost irretrievably. There is mutual suspicion and lack of good faith between the parties.
“As we go into the elections also, we must call on the parties and candidates to refrain from any
