2011 Election violence: INEC moves to pay compensation after victim petitions Complaints Commission

Relief may at last come the way of Master Austin Obochi Attah after the Federal Capital Territory's office of the Public Complaints Commission intervened to facilitate the processing of his insurance claims three years after he was involved in the violence that rocked the 2011 general elections in Borno state.

Mr. Obochi, an ex-corp member who did his one year compulsory National Youth Service in Borno state and was engaged as INEC's adhoc staff in the 2011 general elections had on 11th October 2013 petitioned the Commissioner, Public Complaints Commission FCT, Hon. Obunike Ohaegbu alleging that the Independent National Electoral Commission and their insurer, Niger Insurance PLC are yet to pay him his insurance claims despite fulfilling the requirements stipulated by the insurer.

Efforts of the Commission to address the perceived injustice yielded positive results in January 2014 when the Secretary of INEC wrote the Commissioner in a letter dated 21 January,2014 to inform him that master Obochi's discharge vouchers are ready and with the Borno State's Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) requiring " his (Obochi's) consent and acceptance of the insurance claims/benefits as stated in the relevant Discharge Vouchers" before the payments can be effected. He was further advised to contact the REC in Maiduguri to complete the payment conditions.