The Independent National Electoral Commission its officials on duty during last Saturday’s presidential and national assembly elections across the country were victims of heinous crimes including murder and rape.
Recall that an ad hoc worker of the commission, Mrs. Ibiseki Amachree, died from a stray bullet that hit her while on duty in Degema area of Rivers State.
After the election, the commission directed its Resident Electoral Commissioners to submit their reports on the election in their respective states, sequel, which a meeting was held to assess it, a statement the electoral body’s National Commissioner and Chairman Information and Voter Education Committee, Festus Okoye, released on Friday said.
The statement reads in part: “The meeting, among others, assessed the role of security agencies in the elections. While acknowledging their professionalism in the deployment of election personnel and materials in a safe and timely manner, the conduct of certain members of the security agencies in some states is a matter of serious concern to the commission.
“Although the elections were generally peaceful, the meeting observed and decried the high level of violence in a few places, which, regrettably led to fatalities in some states, in addition to the subjugation of some of our electoral officials to threats, harassment, intimidation, assault, abduction and even rape.
“This matter will be further discussed directly with the Inspector-General of Police within the ambit of the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security in preparation for the governorship, state houses of Assembly and FCT Area Council elections.”
