Addressing executive deployment of armed officers and political thugs during elections and the concerns for rights to life and property in Nigeria

Abstract

The enjoyment of fundamental rights to life and property enshrined in the grundnorm of any society is meant to be respected regardless of the circumstances calling for their violation. Violation of human rights during election process, is however what appears indignant and abnormal for any democratisation process. Every election year, African nations record casualties of human rights violations before, during and after electoral process. It is worrisome to hear or read about it but more appalling and repugnant, experiencing such incidents during the electoral processes that should lead to a peaceful transition from one democracy to another. Significant among the rights constantly violated, are rights to security of life and property. This paper argues about the need to secure life and properties among other rights during electoral process as it is in the nature of African politics and politicians and their supporters to behave violently during election just to win at all costs. The paper examines constitutional issues using the doctrinal legal research methodology which consists of the use of the primary and secondary sources of law. The resource materials obtained, were analysed in the context of the scope of the topic under examination. The legal issues falling under the context of discussion therefore include: the legal corpus of rights to life and security in African countries such as Nigeria, Ghana, and South Africa and the role of relevant agencies such as National Electoral Commission, the Police Force, Armed Forces, State Security Service and Intelligent Agencies, in achieving this desired protection particularly under the various Electoral Acts. It presents the possible implications of lack of assured protection each time election takes place in any African country. It therefore makes recommendations to the current insecurity that bedevils electoral process in Africa, such as sharing weapons among the security agencies, sharing intelligence information and re-orientation/ training of police officers purposely towards respect for human rights during the conduct of elections.