In April 2007 elections will take place in Nigeria which, for the first time since independence, will see a civilian government hand over to another civilian government. In the months leading up to these elections politically motivated acts of violence, harassment and intimidation of political opponents have been reported throughout the country. In most cases of political violence, perpetrators have not been brought to justice. As the abuses and violence highlighted in this briefing paper show, this failure has led to a climate of impunity which is contributing to an increasing cycle of violence in Nigeria.
