- INEC collaborates with 191 lawyers, including 16 SANs, to prosecute 1,076 electoral offenders from the 2023 general elections
- Ebonyi State leads with 64 cases, and the collaboration involves pro bono legal services from the Nigerian Bar Association
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has engaged the services of 191 lawyers, including 16 Senior Advocates of Nigeria (SANs), to prosecute 1,076 electoral offenders arrested during the February and March 2023 general elections.
The offenders, arrested in 35 states across the country, are facing various charges related to electoral misconduct. Ebonyi State tops the list with 64 cases involving 216 suspects.
The collaboration between INEC and the Nigerian Bar Association (NBA) is unprecedented, with NBA members pledging pro bono legal services for the prosecution of electoral offenders as a service to the nation. This collaboration also involves the Nigeria Police.
The President of the NBA, Yakubu Maikyau (SAN), confirmed that 191 lawyers, including 16 SANs, have accepted the responsibility to handle cases in various states without charge. A letter to INEC Chairman, Prof. Mahmood Yakubu, listed the lawyers who will work in collaboration with the police and INEC for diligent prosecution.
The suspects implicated in the cases are currently in custody, having been investigated and evidence gathered against them. Letters of authority will be issued to the NBA team to commence proceedings on the cases.
A breakdown of the distribution by state indicates that Ebonyi has the highest number of cases, followed by Edo, Anambra, Kaduna, Adamawa, Kano, Rivers, Osun, and Yobe, each with varying numbers of cases and suspects.
The range of electoral offences committed includes culpable homicide, unlawful possession of firearms, snatching and destruction of INEC items, possession of weapons, misconduct at polling units, and theft of election results, among others.
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