2023 Elections: Potential Flashpoints in the Northeast

Ahead of Nigeria’s general elections in February 2023, Nextier SPD Policy Weekly has focused its analyses on the potential flashpoints and mitigation measures across the most vulnerable geopolitical zones in the last five weeks. As stated at the beginning of the series, the analyses aimed to draw the attention of the security apparatuses, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), international observers and other stakeholders to the potential threats and foreground Early Warning Action/mechanisms in response. Despite Nextier SPD’s advisory, threats
to the forthcoming polls remain significant. The attack and destruction of election materials at the INEC office at Oru West Local Government Area in Imo State on Sunday, December 4, 2022, marked the seventh of such premeditated attacks on INEC offices in five states across the country in the last four months. Attacks on innocent civilians continue unabated across the North-East, as exemplified by the attacks in Chibok in May 2022, in which seven persons were killed. The trend of violent attacks and inadequate arrests and prosecution of culprits show that the security agencies have not risen to the systematic threats to the forthcoming 2023 elections. In this concluding Weekly on the series,

Nextier SPD examines the potential flashpoints in the North-East to the 2023 elections. It also highlights the policy measures needed to address potential security breaches.

Click here to download report.