137 people were killed and 57 were abducted during the 2023 general elections in Nigeria, according to a report by the Incident Centre for Election Atrocities (ICEA).
The report, entitled “Ethnic Profiling, Hate Speech and Endemic Violence: A Preliminary Post-Election Statement on the 2023 General Elections in Nigeria,” highlighted the weaponization of voter suppression through violence, hate speech, fake news, and ethnic bigotry as the most prominent forms of election-related atrocities.
The ICEA was deployed by the Community of Practice Against Mass Atrocities in Nigeria to track election-related atrocities after the governorship and state-level elections.
The Centre tracked atrocities across 10 states including Abia, Ebonyi, Enugu, Anambra, Imo, Ondo, Ekiti, Lagos, Katsina, and the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).
The Centre also worked with local partners in other contiguous states such as Rivers, Edo, Kano, Kaduna, Zamfara, Taraba, Ogun, Nasarawa, Benue, and Plateau due to the heightened threats of large-scale hate and violence in the run-up to the 2023 general elections.
The ICEA verified and documented at least 137 election-related killings and at least 57 election-related abductions between December 20, 2022, and March 20, 2023.
Of this number, at least 38 election-related killings (10 during the Presidential elections and 28 during gubernatorial elections) and at least 27 abductions were documented on the election days of February 25 and March 18.
The report noted that election day fatalities were recorded in Rivers, Benue, Delta, Osun, Katsina, Cross River, Nasarawa, Ebonyi, Sokoto, Lagos, Taraba, Kogi, Ondo, Gombe, and Abia states.
For instance, on March 20, 2023, Bashir Shagari, the Electoral Officer, together with the Returning Officer for the Zamfara State governorship election in the Maradun L.G.A, were both kidnapped on a bridge near Maradun town on their way to the collation center.
In addition, the village head of Maigari in Rimin Gado L.G.A, Kano State, Alhaji Dahiru Abba, was killed by gunmen when he was attacked at his residence just a few days before the gubernatorial election.
State security agencies failed to provide adequate security to protect INEC staff and voters who sought to exercise their franchise, on both election days particularly at polling units as they were in several instances, left to the mercy of political thugs.
State security agents, especially the police, appeared ill-prepared for the forms of aggression and attacks that occurred on both the federal and state election days.
The ICEA report highlighted the need for political leaders to ensure the safety of their citizens, as well as the importance of holding free and fair elections in the future.
The report also called on the Nigerian government to take immediate action to investigate the election-related atrocities, prosecute those responsible, and ensure justice for the victims.
