A police officer was accused of thumbprinting on the ballots at the voting place, and the FCT police headquarters has provided an explanation of what happened there.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) staff were attacked by voters at the polling unit, according to the police command, which noted that the incident happened at Polling Unit 009, Lugbe Local Education Authority (LEA). The officer was only assisting INEC staff to salvage electoral materials after they were attacked.
They refuted the assertion that the corps member was murdered.
The FCT Police Command wishes to set the records straight concerning a misinformation and disinformation on social media alleging that a Police Officer was caught with thumb printed ballot papers. This is not the fact as the Officer was only assisting Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Staff to salvage electoral materials after they were attacked by electorates at the polling unit.
The incident which occurred at Polling Unit 009, Lugbe Local Education Authority (LEA) began when the officials of the INEC arrived the Polling Unit with incomplete electoral materials which aggravated the electorates who resorted to attacking the officials and destroying the materials alleging an attempt at disenfranchisement. The Officers, in an attempt to prevent the officials from being mobbed and the materials destroyed, assisted in moving some of the items, to the annoyance of the electorates who poured their anger on the officers as well as the officials.
It is equally pertinent to state that the Corp Member who was attacked in the video was shielded and taken to safety by the Divisional Police Officer and his men from the Lugbe Divisional Headquarters. He was not murdered as alleged in trending news.
The FCT Command hereby warns all electorates to maintain decorum and desist from attacks on lawful authority while all grievances should be channeled through the proper process for resolution.
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#Nigerianpolice dey paid you to snatch ballot boxes.
— Lifeissues11 (@AGINAS) February 26, 2023
Watch as the Nigerian Police Force snatch the ballot box during the election in Wike's Rivers State pic.twitter.com/TN1koLBBq4