88 killed during 2023 polls, says NHRC
BY ANDREW OROLUA
The National Human Rights Commission, NHRC, has said that not less than 88 persons were killed during the February 25 and March 18 general election in the country.
This was disclosed at the NHRC’ s Monthly Review Forum for March 2023 where reports of human rights violations were presented to the public in Abuja on Monday .
Presenting the review report, Mr. Hilary Ogbonna the Special Adviser on Human Rights to the Executive Secretary of NHRC said that 88 persons lost their lives directly in incidences linked to the elections.
He said that four local government chairmen were killed while four soldiers and two police men on duty to ensure peace and security in Niger and Taraba States were among those killed during the election . He said that nothing is as painful as the violation of rights to life of those assigned to secure freedom for others.
The report further disclosed that 75 attacks were carried out on Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, facilities and personnel across the country while Lagos state regrettably turned out to be the worst in suppression of voters.
The National Human Rights Commission also expressed concern about the emergence of new threats to rights abuses in forms of attacks on the media organisations and intimidation of the judiciary.
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Ogbonna said that NHRC is not calling to question recent National Broadcasting Commission NBC, fines imposed on some media organisations but to seek ways all government agencies could exploit their mandates to promote Human Rights and not to suppress it.
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It cautioned that with the speedy National Broadcasting Commission NBC , is imposing fines on erring media organisations the press may go underground or become difficult to relate with.
The NHRC also warned that loss of faith and integrity in the judicial process and incitements would lead to renewed violence and ethnic conflicts.
Earlier, in his welcome remark, the Executive Secretary of NHRC Ojukwu SAN had decried the use of violent and hate speeches in elections .He urged Nigerians to embrace peace and abide by the rule of law.
