2023 elections: NHRC to monitor security agencies to ensure human rights protection

The National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) on Monday said it will monitor the activities of security agencies to ensure that the fundamental human rights of Nigerians are not violated during the forthcoming general elections.

The human rights adviser to the executive secretary of the NHRC, Chief Tony Ojukwu (SAN) stated this at a monthly review forum for Human Rights and elections organised by the Commission in Abuja.

He said the Commission is faced with a twin challenge of having a credible election and ensuring the protection of the human rights of Nigerians.

According to him, the Mobilizing Voters For Elections (MOVE) set up by the Commission was to promote participation in the election through sensitization of people on issue-based campaigns.

He said the monthly review Forum evaluates the current election climate and its impact on the enjoyment and protection of human rights examines the level of citizens’ access and participation using PVC collection as a yardstick and makes proposals for integrating human rights in the 2023 general election.

The Commission, he pointed out recorded a total of 15 hate speeches and that, the presidential candidates have been the biggest purveyors and recipients of hate speeches, even as he lamented incidences of human rights violations in the last few weeks.

Worried by the insecurity, violence in South East and North Eastern parts of the country, ongoing attacks on INEC facilities, fuel scarcity, naira redesign with social and economic implications, the Commission, he said is calling and on relevant authorities to ensure that Nigerians have access to cash and fuel to continue their normal activities.

“We would ensure that there is an accountability mechanism for every life lost during and after the general elections”, he said and urged security agencies to ensure the protection of lives and properties during and after the election.

In his speech at the Forum, the Commandant General of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), Dr Ahmed Abubakar Audi said the Corps has mobilized about 100, 000 trained regular and volunteering personnel to be deployed for the forthcoming general elections.

Represented by the Commandant in charge of the Election Monitoring Unit of the NSCDC, Fatima Binta Ilesanmi, the NSCDC boss said the personnel, when deployed will be involved in covert and overt operations with improved and renewed vigour for collaboration with relevant security agencies in ensuring free, fair and credible election.

He said, “With the spate of coordinated attacks on INEC facilities in various parts of the country, the Corps is scaling up its deployment to all INEC facilities nationwide, all critical national assets and infrastructures and other flash points.

“All these become necessary given the discovery in the 2023 pre-election violence assessment report where indices of violence recorded in the 2023 pre-electoral environment have already surpassed the violence recorded in the 2015 and 2019 pre-electoral environment,” he added and assured that the NSCDC will discharge its duties with high regards for preserving the fundamental human rights of every citizen of Nigeria.

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