U.S. Says APC Supporters Attacked, Prevented Igbo, Non-Party Members From Voting During Lagos Gov Poll In Presence Of Police Personnel
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The United States Government has analysed how supporters of Nigeria's ruling party, the All Progressives Congress (APC), attacked and prevented supporters of opposition parties, particularly Igbo people, from exercising their voting rights during the Lagos State governorship election in March 2023.
In a report titled, ‘2023 Country Reports on Human Rights Practices: Nigeria’, the US Department of State noted that the recent 2023 general election in the most populous African country was characterised by irregularities and violent incidents.
The report mentioned that several observers who were present during the election opined that the results of polls largely reflected the wills of the voters despite voters’ intimidation and suppression in some parts of the country.
It says, “Abuses or Irregularities in Recent Elections: National elections were widely reported to have reflected the will of voters, despite technical and logistical difficulties, and some irregularities.
“Many independent observers assessed the results of the presidential, legislative, and state-level elections during the year reflected the will of voters, despite reports of voter suppression and vote buying, campaigning at polling stations, lack of ballot secrecy, violence, and intimidation.
“During the March 18 state election in Lagos, All Progressives Congress (APC) supporters reportedly intimidated and suppressed voters in Igbo-dominated areas, which Labour Party presidential candidate and ethnically Igbo Peter Obi won in the February 25 national election.
“Viral videos on social media showed APC supporters in Ojo threatening to attack ethnic Igbo voters presumed to be pro-Obi. In Eti-Osa, APC supporters also attacked journalists and, in some cases, shut down voting and prevented non-Yoruba voters from accessing polls.”
“They similarly destroyed property and physically blocked voters in Amuwo-Odofin. According to videos posted on social media, police officers were present but failed to respond to attacks. There was no evidence that alleged perpetrators were arrested or prosecuted,” it added.
Naira depreciates to N1,305/$ in parallel market
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The Naira yesterday depreciated to N1,305 per dollar in the parallel market, from N1,255 per dollar on Tuesday.
Similarly, the Naira depreciated in the Nigerian Foreign Exchange Market, NAFEM, to N1,308.52 per dollar.
Data from FMDQ showed that the indicative exchange rate for NAFEM rose to N1,308.52 per dollar from N1,300.15 per dollar on Tuesday, indicating N8.37 depreciation for the naira.
Consequently, the margin between the parallel market and NAFEM rates narrowed to N3.52 per dollar from N45.15 per dollar the previous day.
Three electrocuted in Ogun market
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No fewer than three people, including a mother and child, were reportedly electrocuted at Mowe Market in Obafemi-Owode Local Government Area of Ogun State.
The incident reportedly happened on Monday following the restoration of power after the Sunday downpour.
The Chairman of the Local Government, Ambassador Adesina Ogunsola, during his visit to the market on Wednesday gave a seven-day notice to all the traders with shops and stalls under the high-tension powerline to vacate to forestall the recurrence of the tragic incident.
An eyewitness said that the electric shock was from the step-down transformer suspended on an electrical pole next to the shop where the incident happened, just as the shop owners arrived for their daily sales in the market.
The woman and her son were said to have been burnt beyond recognition.
The Director of Information at the Obafemi Owode Local Government, Segun Soneye, confirmed the incident to our Correspondent on Thursday
Soneye, in a statement, blamed the incident on the erection of shops made of iron under the powerline by the traders.
Oyo police arrest alleged killer of corper in Ogbomoso
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The Oyo State Police Command, on Thursday, announced the arrest of some officers, led by one inspector, Rasheed Saheed, who was involved in the alleged killing of a corper, Damilola Iyanda, in the Ogbomoso axis of the state.
The PUNCH reports that a police officer allegedly shot a member of the National Youth Service Corps, identified as Damilola, to death in the Ogbomoso Local Government Area of the state.
The late Damilola was serving in Ibadan, the state capital.
Oluwafemi Iyanda, who graduated from the Ladoke Akintola University of Technology, Ogbomoso, and the deceased’s brother, said his late brother attended his convocation, after which they headed for an after-party the same day where he was shot dead by the trigger-happy cop.
The police command, in a statement by its Public Relations Officer, Adewale Osifeso, said the officers involved in the shooting have been detained at the State Criminal Investigation Department, Iyaganku.
The police spokesperson said the Commissioner of Police, Hamzat Adebola, had ordered that the case be taken up by the Homicide Department of the SCID, with the Deputy Commissioner of Police directly in charge of the investigations.
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