Amnesty International Nigeria has urged Nigerian security authorities to investigate allegations of political violence threats made by politicians ahead of the 2027 general elections and ensure that those found responsible are held accountable.

The human rights organisation made the demand in a statement shared on its verified Facebook page on Saturday, following reported remarks attributed to the Edo State Chairman of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Jarret Tenebe.

Amnesty International said Tenebe was reportedly quoted as threatening to deploy the “power of AK-47” against persons allegedly attempting to frustrate the APC’s ambition of securing 2.5 million votes for President Bola Tinubu in the 2027 presidential election.

“Tenebe made the threat during a campaign rally in Edo State, where political violence is already rampant,” Amnesty International said.

The organisation also raised questions over the response of Nigerian security agencies, particularly the Nigeria Police Force and the Department of State Services, to what it described as public threats of violence issued by politicians.

It noted that such remarks were being made “in utter disregard for the rule of law and the nation’s Electoral Act.”

Amnesty International called on the authorities to ensure that politicians and other public figures, irrespective of their political affiliations, are held responsible for actions or statements that incite, threaten or encourage politically, religiously or ethnically motivated violence.

The organisation further stressed that accountability should cover individuals involved in carrying out or promoting violence and human rights violations before, during and after the 2027 general elections.

Gunmen have reduced the ransom demanded for the release of the 20 kidnapped prospective National Youth Service Corps (NYSC) members from N50million to N5million each, bringing the total amount to N100million.

The kidnappers, last Friday, set a 24-hour deadline for the payment of the N50million ransom. The ultimatum expired on Sunday.

One of the affected parents, Alimot Akande, reportedly confirmed that the amount has been reviewed to N5million each.

She stated that the kidnappers established contact with the respective parents of the captives with their mobile telephone lines.

The distraught mother lamented that the victims are being subjected to rigorous torture as they are being asked to impress upon their parents that failure to meet up with their fresh demand may result in something else.

“They are still demanding N5 million. They have come down to N5 million each.”

“The total amount that is being expected to be paid by the affected parents has reduced from one billion naira to one hundred million naira.

Akande, however, said she could not confirm how much had been raised by the families to pay the ransom, explaining that she is not privy to the individual arrangements between the kidnappers and the other parents.

“I cannot say because I do not know how much they have told those people that they have.”

When asked to describe the situation from her perspective, Akande said: “It has been horrible, scary and overwhelming.”

The situation, according to her, became more disturbing after she spoke with her sister and learnt that the abductors had begun beating the victims.

“Sir, we appeal to the government to please assist us in getting them rescued out of that place. When I spoke to my sister, they started beating them since yesterday,” she said.

Asked whether the female corps members were also being assaulted, she said the kidnappers had shown no restraint.

“They are not sparing anybody. They are beating all of them,” she said.

She also disclosed that one of the abducted corps members had been allowed to communicate with his father, but the calls were allegedly being used by the kidnappers as an avenue to monitor the family’s ability to raise money.

According to her, the abductors would alert the victim whenever his father’s call came in and allow him to speak because they believed the father could provide the ransom.

She said, “His father has been communicating with him. The kidnappers give him access to a telephone. Whenever his father calls, they show him that a call came in for you. He would just say, ‘Oh, that’s my father.’

“They know money will come out of father’s hands, so they would just pick it and allow him to talk. And they have been beating him. They have been beating all of them.”

The parent also disclosed that the families have been relying on assurances from the police while efforts continued to secure the money demanded by the abductors.

“The police are telling us to still be buying time. We are still looking for the money. Depending on it, they will see them rescued,” she said.

Asked whether she was also directly affected by the incident, Akande replied: “I am. My sister was abducted.”

She identified her sister as Kehinde Akande and said she is 25 years old.

The Leader of INRI Evangelical Spiritual Church, Primate Elijah Ayodele, on Sunday described President Bola Tinubu as an incompetent leader, stressing that Nigeria has yet to experience what it means to be an independent nation because of bad leadership.

In a statement signed by his media aide, Osho Oluwatosin, Primate Ayodele claimed Nigeria has independence of hardship and hunger, explaining that the government complains more than provides solutions to the nation’s problems.

Primate Ayodele wrote: “We are not fully independent. It’s an independence of stagnancy and hunger. Tinubu isn’t competent to be a president, so there is no way the people will enjoy independence.

“Our government complains a lot when they are supposed to provide solutions. This independence is meant for rethinking, but the president isn’t ready for it.”

The prophet stated that there is no freedom in whatever is happening in Nigeria, noting that a Muslim-Muslim ticket doesn’t indicate freedom but bondage.

​He warned that the only way Nigeria can have true independence is by restructuring. He, however, noted that the Nigerian government is not ready for that conversation.

“There is no freedom in whatever we are doing; a Muslim-Muslim ticket is no independence, it is bondage. The only way we can have independence is through restructuring, but the government isn’t ready for that. In terms of infrastructure, health, economy, and other indices, it’s simply bondage,” he said.

Continuing, Primate Ayodele described the Nigerian government as selfish, saying that is the reason citizens have yet to experience what it feels like to be independent.

He further blasted the government for not having plans for the younger generation. “The government is selfish and careless; it is not a government that is arranged or organised, and that is why we are still in the process of independence; we have not fully attained it.

“There is no amount of prayers that can help us if we have bad leadership; our independence has been commercialised and sabotaged. This is a country with no plans for the younger generation.”