Assembly Polls: Hoodlums destroy ballot boxes in Ondo

Hoodlum suspected to be political thugs have disrupted the House of Assembly elections in Ute, Ose Local Government Area of Ondo State.

Eyewitnesses reported that the thugs attacked some polling units with dangerous weapons, and snatched and destroyed the ballot papers.

Several polling units were visited with violence in Ward 12 of the local government.

The units affected and where ballot boxes were destroyed include PUs 1, 2, 3, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14 and 15, of Ward 12 at Ute.

Adeleke Alabi, a voter at one of the polling units, told journalists that the thugs were working for one of the leading political parties in the state.

“They realised that their candidates were losing in the election and they had to disrupt the process,” he said.

“They chased INEC staff on duty away and we had to run for our dear life,” he said.”

Funmilayo Odunlami-Omisanya, the spokeswoman for the Ondo Police Command, said she was yet to get a report on the skirmish.

However, a police source hinted that security agents have been deployed to the units affected by the violence.

Also, the spokesperson for INEC in Ondo State, Funke Segun-Osifeso, said she could not immediately confirm the development as she was monitoring elections in other parts of the state.

“If that occurred, it would be reported at our office, but I am not at the office right now,” she said.

Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has impounded three trucks for violating the “Vehicular Movement” order of the Inspector-General of Police.

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Oyekola Oyelami, the Acting Resident Electoral Commission (INEC), disclosed this to reporters while monitoring Saturday’s exercise.

Mr Oyelami said the trucks were seized by the Election Monitoring Team comprising INEC in collaboration with the Inter-Agency Consultative Committee on Election Security (ICCES).