The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has raised the alarm over possible escalation of electoral violence. According to THISDAY,
the Chairman of the commission’s governing council, Dr. Chidi Odinkalu, who addressed a press conference in Abuja yesterday, expressed concern over what he described as the frightening and increasing trend of electoral violence being created and encouraged by major political actors.

He 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.
He said the outcome of the NHRC’s visitation team to the states captured in its February 13 pre-election violence report and advisory, revealed a frightening trend.

According to him, since the commission’s February 13 report, which revealed that 58 pre-election violence killings were recorded, more of such deaths have been recorded, while many political actors have argued that the NHRC was conservative in its reported figure of death.
Odinkalu said the number of pre-election violence incident reports and complaints, submitted to the commission, had 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 identified some of the identified patterns to include 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 conduct that could contribute to raising tensions. Above all, they must all accept to abide by the outcome of the elections. The only winner in these elections should be the Federal Republic of Nigeria. For all the candidates and their parties, irrespective of the outcome, these elections are a call to service,” Odinkalu said.

(THISDAY)