In what appeared as perhaps the most notable blur on the just concluded presidential election, no fewer than six persons, including a soldier were killed in Rivers State with scores of others wounded on the day of the poll. The Brigade Commander, 2 Brigade, Port Harcourt, Brigadier General Koko Essien, said the soldier was killed when hoodlums opened fire on security agents on election duty in Obio/Akpor Local Government Area of the state. There were also killings in Borno and Gombe States but they were as a result of violence orchestrated by the Boko Haram insurgents whose capacity for evil seems to be diminishing by the day.
While we commiserate with the families of the dead victims and wish the injured quick recovery, the worrisome bit is not that there were pockets of violence across the country in the course of the election but rather that the nation had witnessed similar incidents in the past. Unfortunately, since there were no reports that the entrepreneurs of violence were caught and punished for such crimes, it is little wonder that the culture of impunity has continued. That is why we urge the authorities to investigate the incident in Rivers State and bring the culprits to book.
Here, the issue is not about which political party won what in which state at the presidential election. Our concern is why people could resort to killing in the name of politics, especially when there is really no evidence that the interest of the downtrodden (often used as cannon fodder) is being served. Why should anyone employ violence or extra-judicial killing all in pursuit of power? The “end justifies the means” approach to politics has over the years provided the incentive and motivation for politicians and power seekers to believe that all is fair and acceptable in electoral politics, including cold-blooded murder of their opponents.
According to a February report from the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC), no fewer than 58 people were killed in 61 incidents of election violence across 22 states this year alone. “The world believes that Nigeria is going to eat itself up because we are going for an election, we must show we can do things differently. We don’t want our election administrators killed, we don’t want our voters killed, and we don’t want our politicians killed,” Dr. Chidi Odinkalu, the NHRC chairman, said at the time.
The sad irony of all these killings is that up to date the police have not successfully prosecuted and brought conviction against any of those suspected to be involved. The standard police explanation had always been that the killings were either “robbery incident” or “assassination”. But then no further investigations. There is no doubt that it is this blatant failure of the authorities to pursue these murders to a convincing satisfaction with perpetrators brought to book that has directly encouraged further commission of such crimes.
It is also very clear that with eyes on the enormous spoils of office attached to the nation’s political positions from the presidency to local government councillorship, many politicians can do anything, (including killing their opponents) in order to ensure an easy ride at the polls. This calls of a review of the remunerations and other perks of public office holders. Perhaps we will begin to see a reduction in politically-motivated killings if and when the fat allowances attached to the elective offices are slashed considerably. When people realise that public office is no longer an avenue to “share the booty” but to render service, the tendency to seek election at all costs and by all means will end.
