CSOs Urge IGP To Investigates Political Actors On Violence

BY GLORIA USMAN, ABUJA – A coalition of Civil Society Organisations (CSOs), has called on the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Mohammed Adamu, to urgently carry out investigations on all political actors who instigated violence leading to the needless loss of lives. 

The Convener of the CSOs made up of over 70 groups, Mr Clement Nwankwo, told journalists at  press conference on the third interim statement on the February 23 Presidential and National Assembly elections, that there is the need for such officers to be held personally accountable for infringing on the rights of citizens in the exercise of their franchise.

Nwankwo also said from the issues that arises from the February 23, elections, an independent inquiry should be set up to look into the poor management of the electoral process by INEC.

While outlining the challenges, the CSOs Coalition said the failure of the smart card readers in identified polling units should be interrogated with a special audit of the results of polling units where 5 per cent card reader incidence failure was recorded.

He also called on INEC and security agencies to ensure accountability for acts inimical to the integrity and credibility of the polls especially individuals complicit in the burning of INEC offices, election materials, snatching of ballot boxes and other electoral offences.

In the words of Nwankwo; “Instances of contrived and voter suppression due to violence must be thoroughly investigated and perpetrators and their sponsors punished to the full length of the law.

“These allegations must be thoroughly investigated to restore faith in the process and address lingering social fractures that reinforce feeling of exclusion.”

The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room, also called on the international community to continue to lend their voices in defence of the integrity of the results of the polls just as it urged the United States and the United Kingdom to actualise their threat to sanction any politicians whose actions undermined the Nigerian general elections.

He also said; “We urge the United States and the United Kingdom to follow through on their earlier statement that they will sanction individuals whose actions undermine the elections or have led to the death of citizens.”