NGO charges INEC on allegations of rape, assault of officials
By Tunde Opalana, Abuja
Women Advocates Research and Documentation Centre (WARDC) has charged the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to provide detailed information on allegations of rape and other violence against female officers of the commission during the 2019 general elections.
The body in a letter dated May 4, signed by its Executive Director, Dr. Abiola Akiyode-Afolabi requested from INEC information on the “allegations of rape and other gender- based violence against female electoral officers during the general elections.”
The request according to the letter was sequel to reports and press releases by the Chairman on Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye on March 1 where he stated that many of the commission’s electoral officials were subjected to threats, harassment, intimidation, assault, abduction and even rape.
According to Akiyode-Afolabi Afolabi, WARDC wrote pursuant to the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2011 to request specific details regarding the allegations.
Concerned about the welfare of these women, WARDC sought “specific details and information on the number of women who were allegedly raped and assaulted, and subjected to ill-treatment and other serious human rights violations
“Specific details and information regarding the alleged perpetrators of these human rights crimes. Specific details and information regarding the steps that the INEC has so far taken to refer the allegations to the appropriate authorities.”
The organization requested to know if INEC had conducted investigation into “the allegations of rape and other human rights crimes perpetrated against some female officers of the INEC and whether they have been promptly, independently and impartiality investigated?
“Whether suspected perpetrators are brought to justice and that the victims have access to justice and effective remedies, including access to counselling and other forms of psycho-social support after the trauma they were exposed to while performing their duty as staff of the commission.”
