The Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in Kano State, Ambassador Abdu Zango, has confirmed that elections in Shanono Local Government Area were briefly disrupted by political thugs on Saturday morning.
Zango, who spoke to journalists in Shanono, explained that the attackers stormed some polling units and made away with ballot boxes and papers.
“It is true that some highly armed political thugs disrupted the elections in some polling units and snatched away ballot boxes,” the REC stated.
“We managed to replace those boxes and ballot papers snatched away by the thugs. And elections, as you can see, continue without any hitches.”
He disclosed that the police had already arrested over 200 suspected thugs in connection with the violence.
Among those apprehended was a female INEC staff member who was mistakenly identified as a ballot box snatcher.
“One of our staff was arrested after being mistaken for a ballot snatcher. In reality, she was only running for her dear life, but we are working to secure her release,” Zango clarified.
Meanwhile, residents and eyewitnesses alleged that the disruption was orchestrated by thugs loyal to a serving commissioner in the state government.
One eyewitness told Pressmen: “Some of us had voted at about 10 a.m., but shortly after that, heavily armed thugs were seen chasing everybody away. We had to run for our dear lives.”
Despite the disruption, INEC maintained that the exercise resumed and continued smoothly across Shanono Local Government Area under tight security.
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