The Nigeria Civil Society Situation Room says it has documented at least seven politically motivated deaths within since the beginning of the Governorship and House of Assembly elections in 29 states across the country.

The spokesperson of the group, Clement Nwankwo, said this at the presentation of an interim report on the conduct of the elections in Abuja.

The local elections observer group expressed serious concern on the spate of electoral violence recorded so far in some elections where elections are holding.

He said, “The Situation Room is concerned that despite the high level of deployment of security we are still having pockets of violence.”

He called on the security agents to arrest and prosecute all election offenders irrespective of their party affiliation.

Earlier, Mr. Nwankwo had deplored the military’s involvement in the nation’s elections, saying the practice posed a threat to the nation’s democracy.

Speaking on The Verdict, Channels Television’s special broadcast on the ongoing state elections, Mr. Nwankwo said if the military would not take directives from the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), they should not participate in electoral process.

“We went through 13 years of brutal military dictatorship and we are at the point today where for the first time since 1999, the army is playing such an incredibly direct role in our elections,” he said.

•Sourced from a Channels TV report