The International Society for Civil Liberties and Rule of Law (Intersociety) has cautioned the Nigerian Army and Police against militarising or issuing threats that could frighten voters ahead of the November 8 Anambra governorship election.
In a statement signed by its chairman, Emeka Umeagbalasi, the group urged security agencies — including the Anambra State Police Command, Zone 13 (Ukpo), the Navy Base (Ogbaru), and the Army’s 302 Artillery Regiment (Onitsha) — to avoid actions that could discourage the state’s 2.82 million registered voters and over 2.5 million PVC holders from participating.
Umeagbalasi said repeated threats from security officials could lead to voter apathy and undermine democracy in the state.
“As a leading rights and democracy advocacy group, we observe that gun-culture threats and displays of force have been consistent features of Anambra governorship elections since the early 2000s,” the statement read.
He accused security agencies of using excessive force, including armoured patrols and inflammatory statements such as threats to “crush troublemakers,” which, he said, often scare voters away from polling units.
The group also condemned the public parade of suspects, many of whom are later proven innocent, describing it as an intimidation tactic that discourages civic participation.
Umeagbalasi noted that non-state actors, including separatists and political thugs, have further worsened voter insecurity in past elections.
He appealed to the police and military to adopt intelligence-based, non-hostile security measures to create a peaceful atmosphere for Saturday’s poll.
Intersociety also cited the state’s historically low voter turnout despite its large voting population:
2013: 465,891 votes (25%) out of 1.77 million registered voters
2017: 448,711 votes (21%) out of 2.06 million
2021: 253,388 votes (10.5%) out of 2.47 million
The group warned that further militarisation could reduce participation even more this year.
It urged residents to come out en masse and vote without fear, while calling on security agencies to maintain professionalism, calmness, and respect for citizens’ rights.
