Nigeria: Poll - Lagos Police Arrests Over 20 Suspects for Electoral Violence

26 February 2023
Vanguard (Lagos)
By Olasunkanmi Akoni

The Lagos State Police Command has confirmed the arrest of over 20 suspected political thugs involved in cases of electoral violence across the metropolis during Saturday's Presidential and National Assembly polls.

The suspects were nabbed in connection with the destruction of electoral

materials, ballot box snatching, among others.

Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO,

Lagos State Police Command, Benjamin Hundeyin, revealed this on Sunday, during a television interview.

Hundeyin, while responding to questions on the reported violence during thepols, said hundreds of distressed calls across the 13,325 polling units were received and responded to in Lagos.

He listed various areas where incidents were recorded to include: Okota, Mafoluku, Oshodi, Elegushi, Oke-Afa and others, describing as "a clear case of political thuggery."

He said the over 20 suspects arrested would soon be prosecuted accordingly.

Responding to questions, Hundenyi said "Political thugs came in and disrupted the process, in a particular instance, set the ballot box and the ballot papers on fire.

"We had issues in Surulere, we had issues in Oshodi, we also had issues in Oke-Afa. We are still collating.

"So far, we have over 20 political thugs arrested and we also have over 10 polling units where these issues occurred."

He said the police already prepared for some polling units where challenges were anticipated but "the control room was very busy yesterday (Saturday)."

According to Hindeyin, "It wasn't like armed men were not there; they were there but we kept moving men around as the need arose.

"We have 13,325 polling units in Lagos State. We had distress calls in hundreds of them and we responded swiftly and restored the sanctity of the elections.

"Unfortunately, people don't want to talk about it because they feel the police are doing their job. So, less than 50 where we had issues is what everybody is talking about which is okay because that is the news.

"We had many instances where armed men responded on time. We have one or two in Mafoluku," he stated.

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