INEC attacks: It’s shameful security agents haven’t successfully prosecuted any suspect – HURIWA

…says Buhari has not shown readiness to ensure free and fair elections in 2023

Prominent civil rights advocacy group, Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA), on Saturday, said it is shameful that the about 20 security agencies in the country have not prosecuted a single suspect arrested in connection with the burning of the offices of the Independent National Electoral Commission nationwide.

HURIWA’s National Coordinator, Comrade Emmanuel Onwubiko, in a statement, also said with the failure of the Muhammadu Buhari regime to curb increasing attacks on electoral offices just about two months to the 2023 general elections, the President has not shown any readiness to bequeath free, fair, credible and peaceful elections in 2023 as against his many promises.

The group said there is a grand plot by some mischievous politicians to wriggle their way into elective offices by manipulating the process through the instrumentality of violence. 

The Chairman of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Prof Mahmood Yakubu recently said that the 2023 general elections are in danger if the incessant attacks on the commission’s offices and facilities continue unabated as the commission now mull renting offices to make up for its about 50 razed offices since 2019.

Also, the Inspector General of Police (IGP), Usman Baba Alkali attributed the attacks to the clandestine acts of some politicians and secessionist groups in the South-East and South-West while the office of the Attorney General of the Federation, Abubakar Malami (SAN), said it has not received any request for the prosecution of suspects responsible for the attacks on INEC offices.

HURIWA’s Onwubiko said, “The regime of President Muhammadu Buhari is to be blamed for the continued attacks on INEC offices. The government has refused to arrest or even prosecute any of the suspected attackers let alone punish them through the courts to serve as deterrents to desperate and violent-inclined politicians.

“The government, despite its ineffective war on proliferation of light weapons, failed to stop non-state actors from moving around with sophisticated arms and weapons of mass destruction which they use to attack strategic national security assets especially in the South-East and in the North-West.

“Also, Buhari’s refusal to sack his non-performing inefficient,  ineffective and rudderless National Security Adviser and the IGP, Comptroller General of customs, immigration,  DG DSS, DG NIA, under whose jurisdiction internal security operations ought to be made effective, shows that there is a grand plot from the top to sabotage the election.

“The statement by INEC Chairman is therefore a confirmation of the well organised plots to destabilise democracy. The President should reorganise the security architecture to bring in persons from other parts of Nigeria in line with federal character principles rather than the domination of the internal security institutions by Fulani Muslim Northerners from same ethnicity with the President.

“Nigerians must be vigilant to demand action from the Federal Government to ensure that the coming general election in about 70 days time is not actively sabotaged from within government in Abuja.”