The Minister for the Interior, Muntaka Mohammed Mubarak, provided a detailed update on the government’s investigation into election-related violence that occurred during the 2020 and 2024 general elections.
According to Muntaka, law enforcement agencies—specifically, police and military personnel—were responsible for seven of the fifteen fatalities recorded during both elections.
Fatalities During Security Operations: Muntaka revealed that the deaths occurred during operations aimed at restoring order at polling stations and collation centres across the country.
Investigations into Specific Incidents: One major incident was linked to the 2020 Odododiodio clash, where three people lost their lives. Investigations into this case are now concluded, and three individuals are being prosecuted by the Attorney-General’s office in the High Court.
Police patrol teams were responsible for the deaths of four individuals when they fired on crowds during their operations.
Military personnel caused the deaths of three individuals when they intervened in what was described as chaotic crowd situations.
The Minister shared that a Special Investigation Task Force was formed to thoroughly examine all deaths tied to election-related violence in both the 2020 and 2024 elections. The task force conducted a series of reviews and analyses:
Review of police dockets to assess the context and legitimacy of actions taken by security forces.
Ballistic and forensic analyses to determine how the deaths occurred and who was responsible.
Field inspections to gather first-hand information and witness testimony on the incidents.
