By Joshua Chibuzo Andrew| Owerri
At least 16 Civil Society Organisations across the country have called on the Inspector-General of Police, Kayode Egbetokun, the Chairman of Independent National Electoral Commission, Prof Mahmood Yakubu and President Bola Tinubu to take urgent measures to reassure Imo State citizens of genuine commitment to ensure free, fair and credible election in Saturday’s governorship election.
The CSOs in a joint statement declared that redeploying the former Police Commissioner, Mohammad Barde, though welcomed but was not enough that there would be no interference from security agencies, other merchants of violence, or compromised INEC officials in the forthcoming election.
The civil societies noted there was need to rein in all partisan security agents, pro-government militia, and other mercenary armed groups, which according to them are major instruments of violence and sources of threats to electoral integrity in the state.
Calling on the police and the presidency to put in place all necessary measures to guarantee a free, fair, and credible election, the CSOs suggested for the redeployment of the Commander of the anti-kidnapping unit of the Imo State Police Command, reining in Mr. Chinasa Nwaneri, the Special Adviser on Special Duties to Governor Hope Uzodinma and redeploying SP Shaba Adamu, the Chief Security Officer in the Imo State Government House who is said to be the man that lays down the strategies for attacks.
“Also on the list is the Imo State Director of the DSS, Mr Wilcox under whose command the Ebubeagu militia of the Imo State Government operates,” they said, adding that “these men have been identified as key to the ongoing culture of impunity, including the unleashing of terror on political opponents and the violation of the fundamental rights of Imo citizens generally.”
The CSOs recalled that during the state assembly elections in March 2023, both Chinasa Nwaneri and the commander of Tiger Base played key and documented roles in unleashing terror and intimidation on political opponents and the electorate, as well as the suppression and manipulation of votes.
The statement partly read, “They were reported to have rampaged across polling units in the state with armored vehicles harassing voters, disrupting and suppressing votes and manipulating election results in favor of the incumbent governor and his political party.
“Videos abound online of policemen hijacking electoral materials with Armoured Personnel Carriers. The police under Barde also deployed an Armoured Personnel Carrier to a private individual who was also a candidate in the election on election day.
“Other operatives of the anti-kidnapping Unit, Imo State Police Command, have been accused of involvement in the harassment and violent attacks on political opponents in the state, including attacks on the home of Federal House member Ikenga Ugochinyere on three occasions. Despite evidence of the perpetrators’ identities, there have been no investigations into these attacks.
“They were also involved in the recent attack and brutalization of the Nigerian Labor Congress (NLC) President on November 1, 2023, and in preventing Chief Athan Achonu, the Labor Party candidate in the November 11 governorship election in Imo, from accessing and entering a church premises where he was invited for a religious event on November 5, 2023.
“We believe that the deployment of Barde will make no difference if the entire structures of terror and intimidation in Imo State, led by Chinasa Nwaneri and the Commander of the anti-kidnapping squad, are not dismantled.
“We are disappointed that the Nigeria Police, in announcing the redeployment of Barde, emphasised that it was not an indictment. This is the same Commissioner of Police who provided security cover for the illegal announcement of results in the Adamawa governorship election, by a person not lawfully authorised to do so, while vote counts were still ongoing.
“In the query issued to him by the former Inspector-General of Police, who ordered his immediate withdrawal from Adamawa on account of his misconduct, his actions were described, inter alia, as “disgraceful” and “unbecoming” of a senior police officer occupying the high position of Commissioner of Police. What could be more indicting?”
It added, “The INEC Resident Electoral Commissioner for Imo State, Prof. Sylvia Agu, is also in league with those positioned to undermine the election. Her connection with the ruling party in Imo State, her partisan disposition and inability to act with neutrality and impartiality is neither hidden nor undisguised.
“No credible governorship election can be achieved in Imo with Ola and the terror squad operating from the government house and with Prof. Sylvia Agu as REC.”
A statement was signed by: “Alliance for Credible Elections, Abuja; RULAAC, Lagos; Centre for Citizens Rights, Lafia; Initiative for Social Development in Africa (iSODAF), Niger State; Women Literacy and Vocational Development Initiative (WOLIVODI), Niger State; Bauchi Human Rights Network (BAHRN), Bauchi State;
“Human Rights Social Development and Environmental Foundation (HURSDEF) Rivers State; Better Community Life Initiative, Imo State; FENRAD, Abia State; Rainbow Watch and Development Centre, Rivers State; Centre for Human Rights Advocacy and Wholesome Society (CEHRAWS), Abia State; DIG Foundation, Ebonyi State and Initiative for Safety, Security and Educational Development in Nigeria ipssednetwork, Enugu State.”
