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Human Rights Watch Warns Against Abuses in Nigeria

   Scott Stearns | Dakar  April 22, 2011
   A soldier searches a car in Kaduna, Nigeria, April 21, 2011

Photo: AP

   A soldier searches a car in Kaduna, Nigeria, April 21, 2011

   Human Rights Watch wants Nigerian leaders to ensure that security
   forces act responsibly in stopping post-electoral violence. Supporters
   of a former military ruler have clashed with riot police in protests
   against the election of President Goodluck Jonathan.
   President Jonathan is sending more security forces to some northern
   states where Muslim supporters of defeated presidential candidate
   Muhammadu Buhari attacked churches, homes and police stations, sparking
   reprisal attacks by Christians.
   "Sadly, some misguided elements do not share in the spirit of our
   democratic achievement," said Jonathan. "They formed into groups of
   miscreants and struck with deadly and destructive force in some parts
   of the country. They killed and maimed innocent citizens. They set
   ablaze business premises, private homes, and even places of worship."
   Buhari says the vote was rigged through electoral commission computers
   and is calling on his supporters to stay calm while his party
   challenges the results in court.
   President Jonathan says these disturbances are more than mere political
   protest. He says they are clearly aimed at frustrating Nigeria's
   remaining elections, and that is not acceptable.
   "The perpetrators of these dastardly acts of violence and all those who
   seek to continue to breach the peace and stability of this nation must
   be fished-out [exposed] and made to face the full weight of the law,"
   Jonathan stated.
   As security forces move to stop violence that the Red Cross says has
   already displaced more than 40,000 people, Human Rights Watch says the
   Jonathan government must ensure that those forces do not make things
   worse by using excessive force.
   "The Nigerian security forces have a history of carrying out abuses
   when responding to sectarian clashes or responding with excessive use
   of force," said Eric Guttschuss, a researcher for Human Rights Watch in
   Nigeria. "The first steps that really need to be taken are that within
   these communities that have been affected by rioting and protests, they
   need to beef-up security and ensure that all citizens within those
   locations are provided security in a neutral manner to ensure that the
   security forces are not using excessive use of force while responding
   to these clashes."
   Media reports say more than 100 people were killed in post-election
   violence, though officials have declined to give a death toll for fear
   of prompting more attacks. The International Criminal Court says it is
   investigating whether crimes committed during the unrest are within its
   jurisdiction.
   Nigeria's electoral commission is delaying state-wide voting in the
   mainly-Muslim states of Kaduna and Bauchi. Electoral commission Chief
   Attahiru Jega says he hopes that will allow for the "further cooling of
   tempers and for the security situation in those states to continue to
   improve."
   Gubernatorial elections in other states will go ahead as scheduled on
   Tuesday.