The Independent National Electoral Commission, has revealed that Ebonyi State recorded the highest number of electoral offenders apprehended during the 2023 general elections.
As per a document provided to The PUNCH by the Chief Press Secretary to the INEC Chairman, Rotimi Oyekanmi, a total of 1,076 electoral offenders were arrested across 35 states during the February and March 2023 general elections.
The state-wise breakdown of offenders indicated that out of 191 cases earmarked for prosecution, Ebonyi had the highest number of cases, trailed by Edo and Anambra states.
Oyekanmi said, “All is now set for the prosecution of 1,076 electoral offenders arrested in 35 states across the country during the 2023 general election held in February and March, in an unprecedented collaboration between the Independent National Electoral Commission and the Nigerian Bar Association. The Nigeria Police is also involved in the synergy.
“However, 191 case files have been prepared. A breakdown of the distribution by state reveals that Ebonyi has the highest number of cases – 64, involving 216 suspects. Edo State is second with 22 cases and 80 suspects, while Anambra is third with 12 cases involving 66 suspects.
“In the same vein, Kaduna is fourth with 11 cases and 36 suspects; Adamawa ranks fifth with 10 cases, and 17 suspects, while Kano, Rivers and Osun states share the fifth position with nine cases each involving 74, 68 and 47 suspects, respectively. Yobe State is at the bottom of the table with just one case file implicating two suspects.”
The CPS noted that the electoral offences committed range from “culpable homicide and unlawful possession of firearms, snatching and destroying of INEC items, being in possession of offensive weapons, misconduct at the polling unit and stealing of election results, amongst several others.”
Additionally, Oyekanmi disclosed that the commission plans to mobilize 191 prosecutors to handle the prosecution of the electoral offenders.
“The President of the NBA and Senior Advocate of Nigeria, Mr. Yakubu Maikyau, had, during a recent courtesy visit of the association’s delegation to the Commission, pledged that NBA members would provide legal services pro bono for the prosecution of electoral offenders as a service to the fatherland.
“In fulfilment of that pledge, Maikyau, in a recent letter to the INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, listed 191 lawyers, including 16 Senior Advocates of Nigeria that have accepted to take up cases in the various states free of charge, with the assistance of the police and INEC for diligent prosecution. The suspects linked to the case files are in custody, they have been investigated and the necessary evidence against them harvested.
“It is confirmed that letters of authority have already been prepared and will be issued to the NBA team as soon as possible to commence proceedings on all the cases.”
However, Oyekanmi clarified that the Nigerian Bar Association returned 26 case files to INEC.
He explained that these files were to be forwarded to the police as the offenses identified did not align with the electoral offenses defined by the Electoral Act of 2022.
“Besides, the suspects involved in 22 out of the cases are either at large or were never apprehended,” Oyekanmi added.
