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A rights organization, the International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law, known as Intersociety, has warned against creating unnecessary tension leading up to the governorship election in Anambra State on November 8.
This information was shared in a statement released to DAILY POST on Wednesday.
Intersociety expressed its concerns regarding the increasing anxiety in the state, which has been exacerbated by military and police activities.
The statement was signed by Mr. Emeka Umeagbalasi, Head of Intersociety, Obianuju Joy Igboeli, Head of the Department of Civil Liberties and Rule of Law, and Chidinma Udegbunam, Head of the Department of Campaign and Publicity.
The group urged the authorities of the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigerian Armed Forces “to completely refrain from intimidating and deterring registered voters in Anambra State, which number 2.82 million, with over 2.5 million of them as PVC holders.”
It stated that such threats and alarming rhetoric, if persisted, could discourage many, if not most, of the 2.5 million PVC holders and “prevent them from voting for their preferred candidates in the State Governorship Election scheduled for November 8, 2025, which is just three days away, potentially relegating the State to the lowest voter turnout in Nigeria during governorship elections.”
Intersociety noted that its observations indicated that these “gun-culture threats” have been a persistent issue in Anambra Governorship elections since the 2000s.
“The aforementioned security agencies have consistently engaged in the militarization and weaponization of voting environments, stifling civic spaces through what is termed a “show of force,” which includes open street patrols with armored vehicles, RPGs, explosives, and officers ready for battle who parade around singing war songs and using threatening language in voting areas and other public spaces, particularly during the day.
“The deployed security agencies and their personnel also partake in the reckless and widespread issuance of inflammatory and threatening statements, along with media boasts that include lethal phrases like “crushing troublemakers” and “neutralizing hoodlums,” followed by the public display of numerous arrested individuals in a bizarre and inhumane manner (often stripped half-naked and bearing bruises).
“According to available records, security forces have contributed to making voting environments hostile for vulnerable voters alongside non-state actors, including separatist agitators, politically motivated thugs, and other violent groups. This was particularly evident across the State in 2013, 2017, and 2021.
“Thus, we call on the authorities of the Nigeria Police Force and the Nigerian Army or military across Anambra and the South-East to ensure that their pre-election and election day security operations and law enforcement are well-coordinated, proactive, scientifically informed, tactically discreet, and intelligence-driven, capable of ensuring that Anambra voters can safely and securely cast their votes for their chosen candidates in the November 8, 2025 governorship election,” the group concluded.
