YIAGA-Africa condemns security agents conduct in polls

The YIAGA Africa Watching The Vote (WTV) Group has criticized security agents and political actors over their conduct in the Saturday’s Presidential and National Assembly elections.

The organisation said while presenting a preliminary report on Saturday’s National Elections by the Board of the WTV including the Chair, Dr. Hussaini Abdu, Co-Chair, Dr. Aisha Abdullahi and Executive Director, YIAGA AFRICA, Samson Itodo, in Abuja.

The organisation said that security officers in Kaduna and Yobe states had arrested and detained accredited observers apart from many Nigerians were also denied access to some polling units in Yobe state to exercise their franchise.

The group says it deployed 3,906 observers in the country and that their supervisor was arrested and detained in Kafanchan, Kaduna State.

They also say they received reports that mischief makers had snatched elections materials in Rivers State, while others bought and sold votes in Kogi state.

The report said WTV Observers reported that political party agents had attempted to influence voters or INEC poll officials in 13 percent of polling units.

On critical incidents, the report listed snatching of election materials, armed men snatching ballot boxes and election materials; intimidation, assault and harassment and vote buying across many  states.

The organisation, however, commended INEC on its extension of voting hours in line with their earlier recommendation.

“YIAGA AFRICA calls on all deployed security agents to provide speedy response to critical incidents especially the reports of violent disruption of the process and destruction of election materials in some polling units.  We also encourage the security personnel to remain professional and non-partisan while on duty,” the report said.