Idayat Hassan, a member of the National Peace Committee, revealed that as of January 2023, there had been over 134 attacks on the offices and personnel of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) across the country.
Hassan stated this on Channels Television’s special election programme, which BizWatch Nigeria monitored on Sunday.
She bemoaned the country’s increasing violence in the run-up to the 2023 general elections, wondering how they would be held if the attacks continued.
“It is quite disturbing that this is actually happening at this point in time. The casualties are higher; the number of incidences is rising.
“Even when we often talk about attacks on INEC, we talk about over fifty something attacks on their facilities, it goes beyond that.
“So far there have been more 134 attacks on INEC facilities and personnel if you check on Armed Conflict Event Data which is the elite and number one in terms of monitoring violence.
“It is 134 as of January, like the first half of January. So, by now we don’t even know if this has actually increased.
“And when we take it only from the point of view of INEC, if this continues how can we have elections?” Hassan quizzed.
On what to do to reduce future violence, Hassan stated that the law prohibiting anyone other than security agents from carrying weapons on campaign grounds must be enforced.
“First, we have to go back to the implementation of the law. The rules are clear. If you are doing campaign, it is only the police or the security agents that are allowed to bear arms, no other person must bear arms.
“It is written, in fact they have this regulation and guidelines for political parties and for the campaigns which INEC has even demystified and shared,” she added.
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