#NigeriaDecides2023: Thugs disrupt election in Kogi, pack away election materials

Armed thugs have been reported to have stormed some polling units in Dekina LGA of Kogi and made away with election materials, thereby disrupting the elections process.

Silas Rindam, the INEC Electoral Officer (EO) of Dekina LGA, who confirmed the incident to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Saturday, described the incident as “callous and very unfortunate”.

According to him, “we got the news of the incident from our ad hoc staff who had to run away for their safety.

“The thugs did not only cart away our election materials at Anyigba but even here in Dekina town.

“From what I learned, seven polling units here in Dekina town have been affected out of a total number of 352 polling units in the area, ” he said.

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Also, police spokesperson in the state, Williams Ovye-Aya, confirmed the incident but called for calm as the security operatives were on top of the situation.

He wondered why such an ugly incident would happen when there were more than 7,000 police personnel deployed to the 3,508 polling units of the state.

When contacted, the Security Adviser to Kogi Governor, Jerry Omodara, expressed sadness over the incident which he noted had disrupted the peaceful atmosphere being enjoyed in the state.

Mr Omodara said Governor Yahaya Bello had ordered a man-hunt for the perpetrators of the dastardly act to be arrested and brought to book.

“We have no place for such in Kogi. We shall go after them and ensure that they face the wrath of the Law,” he said.

Earlier a reliable source had told NAN in Dekina that several polling units in Anyigba and Dekina towns were mostly affected in the invasion, which took place around 11:00 a.m. of Saturday.

“The situation has sent fears into the electorate in the affected areas with no voting going on in the areas, ” the source claimed.

(NAN)