By SUMAYYAH ADEFAKA, Lagos, OUR REPORTER, Makurdi
Residents of the Ago community, Okota area of Lagos State, have been reported to have prevented some persons suspected to be political thugs from snatching ballot boxes, during the governorship and house of assembly elections, on Saturday, March 18, 2023.
International Centre for Investigative Report (ICIR) reported a viral video, in which the residents are seen running after the suspected thugs in different directions.
“One of the thugs is down,” screamed one of the unidentified residents in the video, adding, “Let the police come and carry him. Look at him. He’s lying lifeless.”
The residents mocked the body, saying, “These are the people that came to take over (the) ballot box.”
The residents expressed delight with the situation, chorusing, “That’s what should be happening to political thugs.”
The alleged death of the ‘thug’ is part of many killings in the 2023 elections.
Earlier on Saturday, a suspected ballot snatcher was gunned down at a polling unit in Gboko Local Government Area of Benue State.
Witnesses, reportedly, said the young man was shot dead while another sustained gunshots injury when they tried to snatch a ballot box at a polling unit in Gboko South.
Chairman of Gboko Local Government Area, Isaac Mtom, said he got information that one person was shot while trying to cart away electoral materials.
“What I was told is that one person was shot by security operatives. I wasn’t there but that’s what I heard. They even said the person was not dead,” he said.
Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), SP Catherine Anene, said that she was yet to receive the report.
There has been widespread report of electoral violence in these Saturday elections across the country.
