Truncated at the Booth

Members of the All Peoples Congress in Rivers State protest against electoral fraud  the after Presidential election  in the state on March 29

A new report details how violence prevented several citizens of Rivers State from carrying out their civic duty in the state during the just-concluded elections. Adeola Akinremi writes

When Professor Chidi Odinkalu-led commission of inquiry on politically-motivated killings in the lead up to and during the March 28 and April 11 elections in Rivers State finally gives account of its stewardship, many Nigerians may be having yet another opportunity to prove what they have heard.

But now, Stakeholder Democracy Network (SDN), a United Kingdom-based non-profit organisation that participated as observer during the elections has released its own report, claiming violence had a serious impact on the outcome of the elections.

“The Governorship and State Assembly poll in Rivers State was marred by violence and disruption with over 470,000 of 2,537,520 (19% ) registered voters denied the chance to vote due to official cancellations. Many more stayed away from the polls due to well justified fears of violence.

“Violence had a serious impact on voters, election officials, and party supporters. The APC alleged that 19 persons were killed on Election Day with election observers able to confirm several of the most prominent deaths, notably killings in Asari Toru and the assassination of APC leader, Clever Orukwowo,” SDN claimed in its report.

On the eve of the gubernatorial election, Odinkalu had listed some states including Rivers as places where proactive measure could forestall violence.
“Rivers state continues to pose a rather chronic electoral violence which kind of inter-set with militia violence. The Niger delta militias which are supposed to have been decommission with the amnesty have pretty much brought their guns back and reinforced their guns and Rivers state situation is quiet difficult,” he said.

So after the elections, when observers started releasing reports on Rivers State, it was unsurprising to many who had followed pre-election violence reports in the state with keen interest.

The inflation of announced votes in many local governments areas according to SDN made it impossible to know how many voters turned out for the polls but in 6 of the more closely contested LGAs (including Port Harcourt) official turnout ranged between 14-25 per cent of registered voters.

“From what we observed this seems a more plausible turnout. Some results seemed to defy any effort to acknowledge reality.

“In Buguma town (Asari Toru LGA) where security forces finally ended with shooting and clashes mid-morning of election day, with one gang leader beheaded, official results later recorded turnouts of 84-90 per cent in the town (87 per cent for the whole LGA).

“In Gokana, where 5 wards were cancelled due to clashes and theft of election materials the remainder of the local government recorded an official turnout of 94 per cent.  It was one of 3 local governments with ‘turnouts’ between 93-95 per cent, also Akuku Toru and Khana, despite repeated reports of disruptions,” SDN claimed.

In its report SDN further said significant efforts by INEC and Police to improve security and election processes were simply overwhelmed by the breadth of violence and intimidation. Election officials were assaulted and abducted in incidents across the state and they often faced intolerable pressures from political actors.

On April 17, the Rivers State Governor, Rotimi Amaechi had told the nine-man commission of inquiry headed by Odinkalu that when he visited Obirikom in the Ogba/Egbeme/Ndoni Local Government Area, he confirmed nine persons killed in one household.

“In the household of one late Chief Christopher Adube, nine persons were killed by assassins. Those killed were his three children, his younger brother, two gatemen, and two other persons while two of the late Chief Adube’s children are still receiving treatment in an undisclosed hospital.

“There was a day I was arguing with the Commissioner of Police in Rivers State now posted to Enugu and I said, ‘commissioner, I am told 11 persons have been killed’, he said, ‘no, only seven persons’.

“Again, in the same Omoku, whether it is seven or 11 persons, these are human lives. At Okrika, when APC went on campaign, where the governorship candidate of APC was seated, he would have been hit by a bullet, but, God saved him; he had left that place earlier. That was the first day APC went for campaign in Okirika, and the police were present.

“I was driving to my village on March 28 for the presidential election, I saw a corpse at the median of the road, I called the Commissioner of Police, ‘Mr. Karma, I have seen a corpse here, please, look for a way to take away the corpse and find out who did this’, but, he did not.

“Whether the corpse is still there or not, I have no idea. When I got to the village called Omuanwa on that Election Day, young boys were shooting sporadically at innocent people and when they saw us, they ran into the bush. Then I came down and met somebody they have shot that was severely injured. We put him in a vehicle and rushed him to the hospital”.

Amaechi however, insisted that those behind the killings were allowed to unleash mayhem because of the existence of impunity in the state, just as he called on the commission to recommend appropriate punishment for the offenders.

He added: “The reasons why the killings happen was because of impunity in the state. Total impunity. I believe as a governor, if you don’t punish those who break the law, then human beings will no longer be protected.

“People were not allowed to carry out their civic obligation and responsibilities just because they (politicians) were desperate to take over power. There will be threats, but your duty as a commission is to overcome these threats.

“First, you must be under the custody of the state and we will inform the Commissioner of Police to provide adequate security for them (members of the commission) to discharge their duties uninterrupted”.

And now, the burden of unveiling the people behind the killings rest on the shoulder of Odinkalu and his team. But will the killers be brought to book?

Indeed, when the testimonies at the public hearing are heard, there will be heavy hearts and uncontrollable tears as several families in the state have lost dear ones.

Last week, more killings were recorded as gunmen killed four persons in Okrika and Eleme Local Government Areas of Rivers State.

Two persons were shot dead penultimate Saturday in Okrika Local Government Area, while the other two were killed on Sunday in Eleme Local Council Area.

According to reports, a source described the killing in Okrika as a “systematic elimination of perceived enemies,” one of the victims was shot dead in his car and the corpse and vehicle were taken away by the assailants.

Yet-to-be-identified armed men, it was gathered, killed the second victim, in his house and his corpse was also carried away. His body was later found floating in the river.

Similarly, two persons have been killed in a clash between suspected cult members from De-well and De-Gbam in Ebubu community of Eleme Local Government Area.

It was gathered that the incident started on Sunday night and spilled over to the early hours of yesterday.

Sources said people had fled the community for fear of being attacked.

The All Progressives Congress (APC) in the state has raised the alarm over alleged indiscriminate killing of its members.

The party stated that the two persons killed recently in Okrika were APC members.

The Greater Together Campaign Organisation (GTCO) of the APC governorship candidate in the last election, Dr. Dakuku Peterside, had, therefore, demanded an immediate end to the killings, warning of spiral effects if not stopped.

The SDN which based its report on what happened during the general elections further stated that “our observers and other sources reported clashes in Buguma town from around 8pm on Friday 10th. These clashes, with gunfire heard in multiple locations, persisted through Friday evening and resumed on Saturday morning.

“On Saturday morning vehicles at the ward distribution centre (Kalabari Craft Centre) were burnt and reportedly dynamite was also thrown at the location. Other reports claimed police vehicles had also been burnt and the house of a state commissioner in the area had been burnt.

“Details on the number of persons killed remain difficult – other than multiple sources confirming the beheading of one gang leader.

The APC have claimed 7 of their supporters were killed in these clashes.

We have not been able to confirm credible claims that police and youth corpers were also killed in these incidents.

“Security was eventually restored late morning on Saturday 11th with the arrival of additional police and military units from Port Harcourt.

“However clashes broke out again on Sunday 12th with the INEC returning officer for the area reporting that it was impossible to access Buguma, which was to be a starting point for a postponed election in Ward 13 of the local government.

Our observers reported that by middle of Saturday 11th Buguma was like a “ghost town” with residents remaining locked indoors and deeply concerned for their safety. Other contacts caught up in incidents were still hiding in locations such as churches.

“Labour Party Candidate Tonye Princewill was interviewed middle of the day saying that elections were not holding in the local government and when asked on twitter why he was not doing television interviews replied “No television crew (would be) dumb enough to come here…..”
Of Course, one of the relatives of the victims, the late Adube’s family in Ogba/Egbema/ Ndoni
Local government of Rivers State, Mr. Henry Adube has called on the National Hunan Rights Commission (NHRC) Civil Liberty Organization (CLO) and other human rights groups to investigate the gruesome murder of his family.

In Obrikon Community in Ogba/Egbema/ Ndoni Local Government Area where nine persons were killed, the Adube’s family had the highest number of victims including a family friend and driver.

Those murdered in Adube’s family includes, late  Hon. Christopher Adube, former Caretaker Committee Chairman of Ogba/Egbema/ Ndoni Local Government, his two sons Lucky and John Adube , his daughter Joy,  a family friend, Mr. Iyk Ogarabe and the family driver Mr.  Samuel Chukwunonye.

The petitioner said that in spite of police investigation over the matter he wants the National Hunan Right Commission, Civil Liberty Organization and other human rights group to investigate the death of his brother family.

He said he requested their assistance because he wants justice to be done on the matter, adding that the death of his brother’s family must stop further politically-motivated killing in the area.

He also revealed that those who killed his brother and family actually came to warp his family, saying that the gunmen didn’t show any mercy in their operation.

“That fateful evening they stormed the compound and force their way in and started shooting. If you look at what happened   you will see that the armed men were desperate to end my brother’s family. After killing my brother they went and shot joy and john including a family friend and driver.

“Many people had been killed during the campaign in the area and the worst thing is that nobody has been arrested or prosecuted. I am begging Nigerians, National Human Rights Commission, Civil Liberty Organization and other human rights groups to investigate this gruesome murder.”

Now, justice may be in sight, only if the report of Odinkalu commission is implemented.