Plan International Condemns Voter Attacks During Election Process

Plan International Nigeria, a child and girls' rights organisation, has strongly condemned attacks on voters, especially women and girls, during last Saturday's presidential and national assembly elections. There were reports of several voters across the country who came under violent attacks by political thugs while casting their votes. In one case, a woman, Mrs Efidi Bina Jennifer, was stabbed in the face by political thugs while she was about to cast her vote.

In a statement released on Thursday, Charles Usie, Country Director of Plan International Nigeria, called on the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies to ensure that vulnerable populations, especially women and children, are protected during elections. Mr Usie strongly condemned any act of electoral violence and called on security agencies to arrest the perpetrators and bring them to justice.

Mr Usie noted that women constitute 49.47% of the Nigerian population and 47.50% of registered voters, according to INEC, but are unfortunately at the receiving end of violent activities of political thugs. "Apart from the attacks on women, many men were reported to have lost their lives while some were maimed due to these acts of violence. This also has serious implications for women and girls forced to become sole breadwinners for their families or bear the extra burden of caring for the maimed family members," Usie said.

The country director further stated that women, in particular, showed their resilience and proved that they are not just numbers to tick the box and, therefore, must be protected by all means.

The 2019 general elections in Nigeria recorded several violent incidents that resulted in the loss of lives and property. Plan International Nigeria's call to action aligns with the general expectation of Nigerians who hope to see the country's democratic process improve and become more peaceful and secure in the future.