By George Mgbeleke

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has warned the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), the Nigeria Police Force, the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), political parties and their agents that the Saturday August 15th 2026 Osun State governorship election must not be turned into another theatre of electoral violence, intimidation, vote-buying and institutional manipulation.

In a statement signed by the group national coordinator,Comrade Emmanuel Nnadozie Onwubiko,HURIWA insists that there must be zero tolerance for armed thuggery, ballot snatching, vote-buying, voter intimidation, harassment of opposition supporters and every other form of electoral criminality before, during and after the election.

The rights group is particularly concerned about the conduct of security and law-enforcement agencies. The Police and EFCC must convince Nigerians that they are institutions of the Federal Republic of Nigeria and not enforcement arms of the ruling APC or any other political party.

HURIWA will not accept a situation in which security agencies selectively arrest, intimidate or harass members and supporters of opposition parties while political actors aligned with the government are allowed to operate with impunity.

INEC MUST NOT FAIL NIGERIANS AGAIN

HURIWA calls on INEC to understand the enormous responsibility before it. The Osun election is not merely another off-cycle election; it is a critical test of whether the commission’s current leadership is genuinely committed to conducting elections in which the votes of Nigerians count.

INEC must therefore demonstrate absolute independence, transparency, professionalism and impartiality throughout the process.

The commission must ensure that every eligible voter is allowed to vote without fear or intimidation and that the collation and declaration of results are conducted in accordance with the law.

Most importantly, the electorate must not be shut out of the results-transmission process.

HURIWA demands maximum transparency in the electronic transmission and publication of polling-unit results. Nigerians must be able to monitor the movement of results from polling units through the various stages of collation.

Any attempt to create an opaque results-management system will inevitably fuel suspicion and undermine confidence in the election.

OSUN MUST NOT BECOME A TESTING GROUND FOR ELECTORAL MANIPULATION

HURIWA warns political actors against turning Osun State into a battlefield for political desperation.

The organisation will strongly oppose any attempt by politicians to deploy armed thugs, state-sponsored intimidation, financial inducement or security agencies to subvert the will of the people.

Political power must come from the ballot box and not from the barrel of a gun, bags of money or the manipulation of electoral institutions.

We therefore call on all political parties and candidates to sign up to peaceful and transparent elections and to reject violence before their supporters reject democracy itself.

THE 2027 QUESTION STARTS IN OSUN

HURIWA considers the Osun election a major litmus test for INEC ahead of the 2027 general elections.

Nigerians are watching the current Chairman and National Commissioners of INEC closely. The manner in which the commission handles Osun will significantly shape public confidence in its preparedness and willingness to conduct credible presidential, governorship and legislative elections in 2027.

If INEC cannot guarantee transparency in an off-cycle election, Nigerians will understandably question its capacity to conduct a credible nationwide election.

The commission must therefore use Osun to demonstrate that Nigeria’s electoral democracy is moving forward, not backwards.

HURIWA demands that:

– INEC guarantees a transparent, credible, free and fair election.
– The Police and EFCC maintain strict political neutrality.
– Security agencies protect voters rather than intimidate them.
– Vote-buying and financial inducement are aggressively prosecuted.
– Armed thugs and electoral criminals are arrested and prosecuted irrespective of political affiliation.
– Polling-unit results are transparently transmitted and made accessible to the electorate.
– Political parties respect the rules and commit to peaceful conduct.
– No candidate or political party is allowed to manipulate state institutions for electoral advantage.

HURIWA will not be deceived by cosmetic assurances of electoral neutrality.

The people of Osun State have the constitutional right to freely choose their leaders, and nobody — whether politician, security officer or electoral official — has the right to steal that choice from them.

Anything short of a transparent, credible, free and fair election in Osun State will be a dangerous assault on Nigeria’s democracy and will be rejected by Nigerians.

By George Mgbeleke

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has condemned in the strongest terms the fresh wave of deadly attacks on communities in Plateau State, describing the killings, arson and displacement of innocent citizens as a dangerous escalation that demands immediate and decisive intervention from the Federal Government.
HURIWA is particularly alarmed by the latest attacks on Gwa-Wereng Rim, Kyeng Village in Bachi District, Dorong and Jol, where at least two persons were reportedly killed, another seriously injured and houses set ablaze.
The rights group said the latest violence represents yet another grim reminder that rural communities in Plateau State remain dangerously exposed to armed attacks, despite repeated assurances from government and security agencies.
HURIWA therefore calls on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu and Plateau State Governor Caleb Mutfwang to move beyond expressions of sympathy and take concrete measures to end the cycle of killings, destruction and displacement in the affected communities.
The organisation said government must demonstrate that the lives of citizens in remote communities are worth the same protection accorded residents of urban centres.
‘Government cannot continue to count corpses’
HURIWA said it was unacceptable for Nigerians to wake up repeatedly to reports of communities being invaded, residents killed and homes destroyed, only for government officials to issue condolences after the damage has been done.
The organisation said the reported killing of Bulus Mwagwong, popularly known as Dikko, and 47-year-old Stephen Dachollom Kaze, alongside the serious injury sustained by Yakubu, must not become another entry in an endless catalogue of unresolved killings.
At Gwa-Wereng Rim, attackers reportedly opened fire on residents at about 9:30 p.m., while another attack in Dorong reportedly resulted in houses being set ablaze and residents fleeing for safety.
In Jol Village, armed attackers reportedly exchanged gunfire with local vigilantes, further heightening fears among residents.
HURIWA said these developments expose the vulnerability of communities that are already struggling to protect their homes, farms and livelihoods from recurring attacks.
‘This is not a statistics game; these are human lives’
The group warned that the persistent attacks were creating a climate of fear in which farmers could no longer safely access their farmlands and families were being forced to abandon ancestral communities.
HURIWA said the Federal Government must urgently deploy adequate security personnel to vulnerable communities, establish effective early-warning mechanisms and strengthen intelligence gathering to prevent attacks before they occur.
It also demanded a transparent and comprehensive investigation into the latest attacks and the immediate arrest and prosecution of those responsible.
“Government must stop treating the killing of rural Nigerians as routine security incidents. Every victim has a family, a community and a future. The continued failure to prevent these attacks is unacceptable,” HURIWA said.
FG must confront perpetrators, protect displaced families
HURIWA also called for urgent humanitarian intervention for families whose homes and property were destroyed.
It urged the Plateau State Government and relevant federal agencies to provide temporary shelter, food, medical assistance and other essential support to displaced victims while ensuring that destroyed communities are made safe for residents to return.
The organisation further demanded sustained security deployment in vulnerable areas rather than temporary reinforcement only after attacks have occurred.
HURIWA said security agencies must also investigate the wider pattern of attacks against farming communities and determine whether the latest incidents are connected to previous attacks in the area.
“We cannot continue with the familiar cycle of attack, killing, condemnation, promises of investigation and eventual silence. That cycle must end,” the organisation declared.
Tinubu must act before the crisis deepens
HURIWA urged President Tinubu to personally direct the security and intelligence agencies to develop a coordinated strategy for protecting vulnerable communities in Plateau State and other conflict-prone areas.
It also called on Governor Mutfwang to intensify collaboration with traditional rulers, community leaders and security agencies to strengthen local intelligence and community protection mechanisms.
According to the rights group, the protection of citizens is a fundamental responsibility of government and cannot be compromised by political considerations, bureaucratic delays or jurisdictional disputes.
HURIWA commiserated with the families of those killed and urged authorities to ensure that the injured receive adequate medical attention.
The organisation warned that every additional attack without decisive consequences for perpetrators risks emboldening criminal elements and deepening public distrust in government.
“Plateau State cannot be allowed to become a theatre of perpetual bloodshed. Nigerians are tired of condolences. They want protection, justice and accountability.
“The President and the Governor must act now — not after the next community is attacked, not after more families bury their loved ones, but now.”

By George Mgbeleke

The Human Rights Writers Association of Nigeria (HURIWA) has expressed deep concern over the reported decision of the European Union (EU) to decline the deployment of a full-scale election observation mission to Nigeria for the 2027 general elections, describing the development as a bad omen for Nigeria’s democracy and international democratic reputation.
HURIWA said the decision, reportedly linked to the deteriorating security situation in Nigeria and the alleged hostile treatment of EU observers and officials following the 2023 elections, should not be treated casually by the Federal Government.
The organisation said the development ought to serve as a serious wake-up call to the government, security agencies and all stakeholders responsible for safeguarding Nigeria’s democracy.
HURIWA recalled that the European Union has maintained a substantial election observation presence in Nigeria over several electoral cycles. Its reported decision to limit its involvement in the 2027 elections to a small number of officials in Abuja, without long-term observers across the states, short-term observers on election day or a chief observer, is therefore a significant development that should concern every Nigerian.
We consider this a bad omen that demands urgent corrective action.
Nigeria cannot build a credible democracy in an environment where insecurity prevents citizens from freely travelling, political parties from campaigning, electoral officials from reaching polling units and observers from independently monitoring elections.
The security situation must therefore be treated as a fundamental component of the preparations for the 2027 general elections.

TERRORISTS MUST NOT DETERMINE NIGERIA’S DEMOCRATIC FUTURE

HURIWA strongly calls on President Bola Ahmed Tinubu to intensify the national war against terrorism, banditry, insurgency and other violent criminal activities capable of threatening the 2027 electoral process.
The objective must be to create a sufficiently peaceful and secure atmosphere in which Nigerians can campaign, vote and participate in the democratic process without fear.
Terrorists and other criminal groups must never be allowed to determine where Nigerians can travel, where candidates can campaign or whether citizens can exercise their constitutional right to vote.
We therefore call for sustained military pressure against terrorist networks and their collaborators, including the disruption of their logistics, financing, recruitment and operational capabilities.

HURIWA COMMENDS CHIEF OF ARMY STAFF

HURIWA also wishes to commend the Chief of Army Staff for what we consider the recent commendable reports coming from the Nigerian Army in the ongoing fight against terrorism.
These developments demonstrate that when our security forces are properly motivated, equipped, strategically coordinated and professionally led, meaningful progress can be achieved in the battle against terrorism and other security threats.
We urge the Chief of Army Staff not to relent in this direction and to continue building upon the recent operational gains.
At the same time, we call on all the service chiefs to continuously work out far-reaching strategic joint partnerships and coordinated operational mechanisms capable of delivering a decisive blow against terrorist organisations operating in Nigeria.

SERVICE CHIEFS MUST FIGHT TERRORISM AS ONE

HURIWA strongly advocates greater synergy among the Nigerian Army, Nigerian Air Force, Nigerian Navy, Nigeria Police Force and intelligence agencies.
Terrorists do not operate according to institutional boundaries. They move across forests, communities, borders and geopolitical zones, and exploit gaps between security agencies.
Nigeria’s security architecture must therefore respond with an equally coordinated strategy.
We call for deeper intelligence sharing, joint operational planning, coordinated air and ground operations and stronger mechanisms for tracking terrorist logistics and financing.
The objective should not merely be the periodic elimination of individual terrorists but the systematic dismantling of the networks that recruit, finance, arm, transport and shelter them.

EU DECISION SHOULD TRIGGER NATIONAL SOUL-SEARCHING

HURIWA equally urges the Federal Government to carefully examine the second reason reportedly given by the EU—the alleged hostile treatment of its observers and officials following the publication of its 2023 election report.
International election observers must never be treated as enemies because their reports contain criticisms of the conduct of Nigerian elections.
Where observers identify weaknesses in electoral administration, the appropriate democratic response is to examine the findings, correct the weaknesses and strengthen the system.
We therefore call on the Federal Government and political actors to guarantee a safe and conducive environment for all accredited domestic and international election observers during the 2027 elections.

SECURE 2027 BEFORE IT IS TOO LATE

HURIWA maintains that the 2027 general elections cannot be secured merely through election-day deployment of security personnel.
The security of the election begins now.
Political candidates must be able to travel across the country. Political parties must be able to organise lawful campaigns. Electoral officials must be able to access every part of the country. Journalists and observers must be able to perform their duties without intimidation, while voters must be able to reach polling units without fear.
We therefore call on the Federal Government to:
Intensify the counter-terrorism campaign nationwide;
Strengthen strategic cooperation among the service chiefs;
Improve intelligence sharing among all security and intelligence agencies;
Dismantle terrorist logistics, financing and recruitment networks;
Secure vulnerable communities and transportation corridors;
Protect INEC facilities, personnel and electoral materials;
Guarantee the safety of political candidates, observers, journalists and voters;
And ensure that Nigeria’s 2027 elections take place in a peaceful and secure environment.
HURIWA believes that the fight against terrorism is inseparable from the fight to preserve democracy.
The reported EU decision should therefore not be reduced to a diplomatic embarrassment or dismissed as foreign interference. It should be treated as a warning signal that Nigeria must urgently restore security and confidence in its democratic process.
We urge President Tinubu, the Chief of Army Staff and all other service chiefs to seize the present opportunity to build on recent military gains and establish a sustained, coordinated and far-reaching campaign capable of defeating terrorism.
Nigeria must not allow terrorists to become the invisible election observers of 2027 by determining where citizens can vote, where candidates can campaign and where observers can go.
A peaceful Nigeria is the foundation of a credible election.