AS Nigerians gear up to elect new set of leaders who would pilot the affairs of the country for the next four years, insecurity has been identified as one of the major challenges that may mar the process as the safety of electoral personnel and voters cannot be guaranteed in some parts of the country battling insecurity. Nurudeen Akewushola reports how security situation in some terrorised communities in Kaduna threatens citizens' participation in the 2023 polls.

As many Nigerians are enthusiastic about casting their votes, the situation is a bit different for 30-year-old Hussaina, a resident of Kaduna state. Election is the least of her worries because her husband is currently lying helplessly on a sick bed after being shot twice by terrorists during an attack that occurred earlier in February prior to The ICIR visit.

On that fateful day, residents of Ringin Unguwan village were swallowed by fear when they woke up to the sight of sporadic gunshots by bandits. While women and young children scampered for safety, the grown men picked up their local guns and exchanged fire with the attackers. 

Hussaina

The attack is not the first of its kind. Before then, terrorists had attacked the community several times, robbed them of their possessions, and kidnapped residents in exchange for ransom, but due to the failure of the government to find a lasting solution, they often resorted to self-defence.

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On that fateful day, Hussaina's husband, Magaji Ringin, 67, was one of the men that volunteered to face the bandits to protect the lives and properties of the residents from the grip of terrorists. Magaji was shot twice in the leg during the fierce encounter.

Recounting his encounter with the terrorists, Magaji said, “I decided to join them to protect our people because I'm aged, and I don't need to fear death. I just faced them, and we were exchanging fire when two bullets pierced my leg." 

Magaji
- Politicians shun troubled communities -

“We don't have peace, and we cannot participate in the election on the election.  I don't think elections would hold in our community because no politician came to our village for election campaign", Magaji told The ICIR. 

“Our community has been taken over by bandits, our Animals have been carted away by them. So who will stay back to vote, or who would bring the boxes on election day? Even some of us that lived in the community later left because of fear of terror. What will happen to somebody that's not from the community? If the security situation improves, we can go back to our community and cast our votes, but if the situation remains the same, we cannot go back," Magaji explained. 

Nigerians are set to choose who leads them in the next four years. The Presidential election is scheduled for February 25, while the  Governorship and State Assembly is scheduled for March 11. However, experts have said rising insecurity across the country could deny many citizens from participating in the elections.

READ MORE HERE: https://www.icirnigeria.org/2023-troubled-by-terrorists-kaduna-residents-skeptical-about-participating-in-election/