Vote APC or Face Violence: Amnesty International Calls for Immediate Arrest of Kuje Chairman
Amnesty International has called on Nigerian security agencies to initiate investigations and hold the Chairman of the Kuje Area Council in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), Samuel Danjuma Shekwolo, accountable over alleged threats directed at voters ahead of the 2027 general elections.
The advocacy group raised concerns regarding public safety and electoral freedom following allegations that the council chairman threatened to unleash violence on residents who refrain from voting for the ruling All Progressives Congress (APC) and President Bola Ahmed Tinubu.
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In a public communication published on its official X platform, Amnesty International, asserted that residents within the local council area remain in apprehension due to the perceived lack of intervention by law enforcement authorities regarding the alleged statement.
“Residents of Kuje area council FCT will continue to live in fear as no effort has been made by security agencies to hold the council chairman Samuel Danjuma Shekwolo to account, for threatening to unleash violence on anybody who would not vote for APC. His desperate attempt to make voting for APC as the sole condition for living peacefully and exercising civic rights in Kuje is unlawful,” the organization stated.
Demands for Electoral Accountability
Looking forward to the 2027 electoral cycle and future polls, the human rights organization stressed that federal authorities must ensure equal application of the law across all political divides. The group noted that any political figure or community leader—irrespective of party affiliation or social standing—who is responsible for inciting, threatening, or carrying out politically, religiously, or ethnically-motivated violence or human rights abuses must be subjected to statutory legal processes.
The Federal Capital Territory features multiple local area councils, with Kuje playing a significant role in regional civic and electoral participation. As of the time of publication, neither Chairman Samuel Danjuma Shekwolo nor representatives of the All Progressives Congress (APC) have issued a public response to the allegations and demands raised by the human rights organization.