Day: November 7, 2023

The Institute for Peace and Conflict Resolution (IPCR) on Tuesday attributed the security challenges in Nigeria’s South-Eastern zone to the smuggling of illicit small arms and light weapons.

Director General of the institute, Dr Joseph Ochogwu said this in Abuja during a Policy Roundtable on the Security Challenges prevalent in the South East Geo-Political Zone of the country.

Small arms refer to kinetic projectile firearms such as handguns, revolvers, pistols, derringers, and machine pistols, while light weapons are infantry-portable weapons that are either crew-served kinetic firearms, incendiary devices, or shoot explosive munitions.

According to him, the South-East zone comprising Abia, Enugu, Anambra, Ebonyi, and Imo has in recent times been plagued by violent extremism as occasioned by the violent activities of the militant wing of the Indigenous People of Biafra (IPOB), gunmen, and other clandestine groups.

“A major accentuating element fueling insecurity in the South-east zone and the country in general has been the ready availability of illicit Small Arms and Lights Weapons (SALWs).

“It is instructive to note from studies that the intractable state of insecurity has enabled local actors with the capacity to fabricate and locally produce firearms.

“A large percentage of these arms in circulation are also trafficked into the country from across the Sahel region.

“Also as the forces of climate change continue to force people to migrate to new habitats in search of alternative livelihoods, illicit arms have continued to be trafficked, further militarising our communities.

“In addition to the proliferation of small arms and light weapons and associated threats, the zone is confronting the problem of widespread drug abuse.

“The proliferation of illicit drugs has not only sustained the tendencies for violence but has weakened the capability and capacity of young people to critically engage the messaging of some of these violent extremist groups, especially against the State.

“Indeed, a significant percentage of the youths have swallowed the extremist messages hook line, and sinker due to the influence of drugs,” he said.

Ochogwu noted that in combating the rising state of insecurity, especially in the South East zone, the Nigerian security and law enforcement agencies, such as the National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, Nigeria Police Force, the Nigerian armed forces, and others should continue to be deployed.

“There is a need for sustainable policy options toward fostering harmonious relationships and good governance, as well as the strengthening of our national peace and security architecture.

In his remarks, retired Maj.-Gen. Okechukwu Ugo, South-East Zonal Coordinator, National Centre for the Control of Small Arms and Light Weapons, expressed commitment to ensuring that the proliferation of SALW is prevented and monitored.

“In the wake of the wanton destruction of lives and property occasioned by the proliferation of illicit small arms and light weapons, it is our mandate to have all hands on deck in support of the efforts of the government at curbing security challenges confronting Nigeria today.

“We will continue to work with the IPCR and other security agencies to ensure that we put an end to

Illicit small arms, light weapons in the southeastern region,” Ugo said.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Stakeholders on electoral matters, have called for the unbundling of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) into different agencies to ensure efficiency in the electoral processes.

They made the call at a Round Table and Public Presentation of Policy Papers on Citizens’ Rights and Impact of Insecurity on Elections organised by The Electoral Hub in collaboration with the Open Society Foundation (OSF) Africa in Abuja on Tuesday.

The Chairman, House of Representatives Committee on Electoral Matter, Mr Adebayo Balogun,said that INEC was saddled with a lot of responsibilities so tackling electoral violence was an added burden, thus the need to unbundle the commission.

Balogun said that there were some responsibilities that needed to be removed from INEC and allow other existing or newly created agencies to handle so that INEC would be more efficient.

He said that INEC’s responsibility on publicity to enlighten voters could also be moved to the National orientation agency (NOA).

“We are working on a lot of things but the one that actually relates to what we have here today is unbundling INEC to remove the aspect that has to do with Electoral offenses and violence and to bring it on a separate agency.

“So we are pushing up for a bill for the establishment of the electoral offenses commission and tribunal that will be able to focus on issues that have to do with violence, vote buying and any act of offenses that happens before, during after election.

“This is because we believe that INEC is overburdened with so much responsibilities. They should be able to concentrate on electoral matters and let other areas be done by some other agencies,” he said.

Balogun said that with the creation of an electoral offenses agency,it will be able to handle the areas that had to do with violence adding that the agency would encompass various security agencies working to see how they would fashion a way out to tackle the challenge.

“We need a professional body when we are talking about fighting security because dealing with insecurity is a professional thing and INEC should not be saddled with that.

“ So we should bring professionals in that field to look at it and come up with solutions so that they can be more efficient,” he said.

Balogun said that the quick fix against violence in Saturday’s election was for stakeholders to talk to their family members in Kogi, Bayelsa, and Imo and let peace reign.

A former INEC Chairman, Prof. Attahiru Jega ,said that addressing electoral violence was a collective work because it was obvious that Nigeria’s elections were bedeviled with insecurity caused by electoral violence.

Jega said that it was also worthy to note that insecurity and election violence was disruptive to the social and economic strength of the nation,so the aim was to eliminate it during elections .

“All efforts need to be focused in terms of what needs to be done in order to minimise drastically if not totally to eliminate violence in the conduct of our elections.

“We want all hands to be on deck and for us to continue to make progress from each election we conduct.We all should come out and ensure that this becomes a reality.

“We are hopeful that the National Assembly would take a look at all the submissions from all the papers presented and make reasonable recommendations for the electoral Act amendment,” he said.

Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the INEC Chairman, said the commission was ready to adhere to every law enacted to end electoral violence in the nation.

Yakubu, represented by Prof. Mohammed Kuna, his Special Adviser, said INEC had been innovative since its creation.

“The commission is ready to welcome new innovations, INEC since inception, has always welcomed new discoveries, and initiatives just like the introduction of BVAS and PVCs,” he said.

The Convener of the round table, the Director, Electoral Hub, Princess Hamman-Obels, said the project was initiated with funding from OSF, Africa, to support INEC and the electoral process on election security by the production of three well-researched policy papers on the impact of insecurity on elections.

Hamman-Obels said the aim was to safeguard both the institutional integrity of INEC and the integrity of the electoral process as well as ensure that elections were peaceful, and credible.

She said that the project sought to provide enhanced knowledge and understanding of the security issues and their multidimensional implications on elections.

“It offers deep and insightful analyses of the security situation in Nigeria and its adverse impacts on elections.

“This entails a rigorous examination of the challenges, vulnerabilities, and potential threats that could compromise the integrity of our electoral process.

“Additionally, we endeavour to map security challenges and how they affected the preparations of INEC for the 2023 elections,” she said.

Hamman-Obels said that a detailed understanding of these would help election duty-bearers like INEC to draw up tailored strategies that acknowledge the unique needs of the country.

She said the studies culminated in drawing up actionable recommendations for security and safety during elections.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, the Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has begged politicians in Kogi to give peace a chance for a peaceful, successful and credible governorship election on Nov. 11.

The INEC made the appeal during a one-day stakeholders meeting on Tuesday in Lokoja.

Yakubu, who was represented by the National Commissioner supervising, Kogi, Kwara and Niger States, Prof. Sani Adam, said getting a leader for the state was very important toward its progress.

“Therefore, you must play to the rules of the game as mature and good politicians that you are, to help us conduct a peaceful, successful and credible election come Nov. 11.

“We, in INEC, are fully ready for the conduct of the governorship election, but we need your cooperation and support by being obedient to the rules and regulations guiding elections in the country.

“President Bola Tinubu is keenly behind us to see that all go well in the off-cycle elections in Kogi, Imo and Bayelsa states come Saturday, Nov. 11.

“It’s our believe that there a sharp difference to the past. Indeed, with your cooperation and support, the best candidate will emerge victorious since God is the one that gives power,” he said.

The INEC boss also called on the electorate to come out en masse and vote as the security operatives have given the commission all assurances of adequate security for peaceful conduct of the election.

The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Bethrand Onuoha, also assured residents of adequate security before, during and after the election.

Onuoha warned trouble makers especially political thugs, not to try any thing funny as regard the election as “security operatives are battle ready to deal with them”.

“In election, you don’t use matches and guns to force people to give you votes. Such people will meet the wrath of the law.

“What we want in Kogi is a peaceful and successful election. Therefore, politicians must play according to the rules of the game or be dealt with.

“The traditional rulers should help us talk to their subjects to maintain peace throughout the election period because it will come and go and we will all remain as residents,” said the police chief.

On hismpart, the running mate to SDP Governorship Candidate, Mr Sam Ranti-Abenemi, complaint about the action of some security personnel toward some stakeholders of the party and called for caution not to give wrong signal to the residents.

Ranti-Abenemi called for adequate security and fairness to all residents toward a peaceful, credible and successful conduct of the election in Kogi on Nov. 11.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria

The Federal Government, in collaboration with the International Organisation for Migration (IOM), evacuated 161 Nigerian migrants stranded in Libya on Tuesday.

Amb. Kabiru Musa, Chargé D’Affaires En Titre of the Nigerian Mission in Libya stated in Abuja that the Voluntary Humanitarian Repatriation (VHR) exercise was to ensure that migrating Nigerians were not stranded abroad.

“The evacuees departed the Mitiga International Airport, Tripoli aboard a chartered flight on Tuesday and are expected to arrive at the Murtala Mohammed Airport, Lagos later in the day.

“The evacuees are 100 adult female, 37 adult male, 16 children, and eight infants.

“They will be received by officials on arrival to facilitate their resettlement and reintegration into the society,’’ Musa stated.

He added that beyond repatriation, the Mission, in collaboration with relevant agencies had continued to sensitise Nigerians against irregular migration which is fraught with danger including forced labour, prostitution and slavery.

Musa noted that the Federal Government would not relent in its efforts to ensure that no Nigerian was left stranded or abandoned in detention facilities in Libya.

Source: News Agency of Nigeria