Nigeria Content Online

The rise in the
cases of election violence in the country is generating concern among
the electorate. It is worrisome considering the fact that it is of a
national dimension. Hundreds of cars were recently burnt in Akwa-Ibom
and many lives were lost. The long-running crisis in Plateau State has
also become political and has in several ways become tied to the
ongoing election.

Amnesty International, a human rights organisation, recently warned of a rise in violence as election draws near.

“The Nigerian
authorities and the Independent National Electoral Commission must
prevent a repeat of the political violence that characterised the 2007
and 2003 elections,” the agency said. “In the run-up to the elections,
the country has seen an increase in violence. Several hundred people
have been killed in politically-motivated, communal and sectarian
violence in the past six months.” Most of the violence are linked to
local elections, especially in places where state governors are facing
strong opposition challenges.

Violence prone areas

The National
Emergency Management Agency recently announced a list of 12 violence
prone states across the country. The states are: Oyo and Ogun
(South-West); Katsina and Kano (North-West); Bayelsa and Akwa-Ibom
(South-South); Nasarawa and Benue (North-Central); Borno and Gombe
(North-East); and Ebonyi and Anambra (South-East).

The agency’s
spokesperson, Yushau Shuaibu, said the states had “attracted more
headlines and public attention to acrimonious activities among the
political actors and parties,” and should therefore be given more
attention.

Recently, the 36
state governors in the country met to discuss the security challenges
in the country. Though it was attended by only a few governors, they
condemned the violence and charged security officials to stamp this
down.

Kwara State
governor and Chairman of Nigeria Governor Forum (NGF), Bukola Saraki,
told journalists at the end of the deliberation that the importance of
security cannot be over-emphasized in any successful poll.

“We are concerned
about the security, election guidelines and procedures,” he said. “But
by and large, as governors, we are all committed to our position that
we want to win gallantly or lose gallantly. We are ready to accept
results of the elections, just as we preach issue of no violence in
this election. We are committed to our pledge to ensure transparent and
credible polls at our respective states and to let our supporters know
this in the interest of our great country.” Nigerian president,
Goodluck Jonathan has also made calls for peaceful polls in his
campaigns.

Little enforcement

However, experts say unless people are sanctioned for perpetrating violence, there might be no incentive to stop the practice.

Abiodun Ogundeji, a
security analyst and university lecturer, said a government that finds
it difficult to punish certain class of individuals for offences will
also find it hard to ensure a safe environment.

“The only thing I
have heard is what they will do, which they have not done and may never
do,” he said. “If a father cannot bring the son to justice for doing
what is wrong, then what do you expect from friends that share loots? I
am only afraid that the fear of violence may scare Nigerians from going
out to vote” The Executive Director of Centre for Peace Building and
Socio-Economic Resources Development, Ayokunle Fagbemi, said some
10,000 people had died in Nigeria since the return of democratic rule
in 1999. Mr Fagbemi described the casualty figure as alarming.

“From the savannah
regions of the Northern Nigeria to the oil-rich creeks of the Niger
Delta in the South, Nigeria’s electoral process within the past 13
years has been submerged in violence so much as to make mockery of the
democratisation process,” he said.

A Presidential
Committee was recently established on security and civic
responsibilities. Chairman of the Committee and Secretary-General of
the Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs, Lateef Adegbite, also warned
that as the nation approaches the 2011 elections, death threats,
assassination and thuggery have become the order of the day.

“These acts of
violence clearly and adversely affect the image of our nation and also
undermine its corporate existence as well as the consolidation of our
emergent democracy;” he said.

But the leadership of security agencies have promised to frustrate
plans for violence before and after the ongoing elections. “Politics is
not a do-or-die affair. Politics should be played according to the
rules and regulations guiding such activities. Politicians should
always learn how to tolerate oppositions,” the commissioner in charge
of the police anti-bomb unit, Ambrose Aisabor, said.