The United Kingdom has announced that it will take action against individuals who mastermind violence during the forthcoming in Edo and Ondo States governorship elections.
The British High Commission in Nigeria stated this in a statement published on its Twitter handle on Tuesday.
Restrictions on their eligibility to travel to the UK, restrictions on access to UK-based assets, or prosecution under international law just as it did after the 2019 elections, it said are some of the sanctions.
The move by the UK is coming about 24 hours after the United States imposed visa restrictions on politicians who masterminded violence and rigging of the governorship elections in Kogi and Bayelsa States.
Catriona Laing, the British High Commissioner to Nigeria, in the statement, said she has held meetings with the leaders of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) on the Saturday governorship election in Edo State.
The parley, the commission explained, focused on the need for the parties to prevail on their supporters to shun violence before, during, and after the elections.
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It further said the UK welcomed the signing of a peace accord by the governorship candidates in the state.
The commission also disclosed that it would be deploying observation missions to both Edo and Ondo polls while supporting civil society-led observation.
The statement read:
The UK takes a strong stand against election-related violence and just as we did in the general election in 2019, we will continue to take action against individuals we identify as being responsible for violence during elections.
This could include restrictions on their eligibility to travel to the UK, restrictions on access to UK-based assets or prosecution under international law.
