Despite the water-tight security mounted by the combined men of the Police, Department of State Service, Nigerian Security and Civil Defence Corps, Mobile police operatives and Federal Road Safety Corps, party agents at the polling zones at Kware, Gwadabawa and Illela local government areas still bought votes.
They were also seen collecting ballots papers from accredited voters, thump printing and dropping same in the ballot box.
At the Katta Hakimii polling zone EC 30 B, Gidan Katta area of Illela in Sokoto State, the party agents had a field day as they were seen bargaining with voters and eventually seen collecting ballots papers from the accredited voters and thump printing on their behalf.
The agents, at a point, engaged themselves in hot arguments over allegations of hijacking votes from their voters.
One of the agents, Aminu, who claimed he was from Illela town, told our correspondent that when he and other concerned agents complained about the issue to security agents and INEC staff, they were told it was not part of their duties to complain on such issues.
A visibly angry party supporter, Rabiu Illela, while condemning the act, repeatedly raised his voice “We know them, we know where they came from and we know who sent them. We don’t want trouble that’s why we have been quiet but we are waiting to see what will happen”.
The party agents were all standing close to INEC ad-hoc staff while bargaining with voters in the presence of the security operatives.
A security agent at the polling zone told our correspondent that there was nothing he could do because other security agents have refused to say anything either.
