1 killed trying to snatch ballot box in Jos

One person has been confirmed dead while allegedly trying to snatch a ballot box stuffed with ballot papers at unit 032, Nuruddeen Army Transfer Primary school, Ali Kazaure ward in Jos North local government area of Plateau State.

Our correspondents gathered that men of the Special Task Force (STF) had shot the youth whose name was given as Salim Nasiru when pandemonium broke and some political thugs attempted to attack men of the Special Task Force.

Eyewitness claimed the thugs had planned to distract the security agents while their conspirators make way with the ballot box but the attempt had failed and resulted in the death of one person.

Chairman of vigilante in the area, Yau Aliyu said the incident occurred after some youths protested attempts by  some politicians to induce electorates with money to vote for their party candidate.

Aliyu said PDP stalwart, Awalu Dankurma and others had sided with the politicians while some members of vigilantes had called the STF to intervene.

“some politicians tried to induce voters with money to sell their votes and other party agents raised alarm and rejected the move. That led to confrontation at the polling unit. I rushed and reported to security operatives and on arrival they used tear gas to disperse the crowd,” he said.

Salim, the victim was said to have challenged the a personnel of the STF on the use of teargas and tried to wrestle a military officer which led to his death.

Our correspondent observed that the INEC adhoc staff at the polling unit had been relocated but INEC head of Voter Education and Publicity, Osaretin Imahiyereobo said the Electoral Officer and Supervising Officer were yet to report the matter.

Imahiyereobo said “it is not right for people to assume that we have cancelled the results of that polling unit, once we get the report, we will know what to do.”

STF Media and Information Officer, Captain Ikedichi Iweha described the incident as unfortunate and urged youths to allow troops take charge of such dicy situation. 

Iweha said “we have expressed our condolence to the people of the community. The situation was avoidable and we urge the people to know that when we are called, to handle a situation, the youths should not attack us, they should let us take charge of the situation.”