Soldiers in Gombe State, Nigeria, have recovered two ballot boxes that were snatched by thugs from Government Science Secondary School in the Jekadafari area of the state. The school was also the polling unit of Governor Muhammadu Yahaya, who was the North-East Coordinator of the Tinubu/Shettima Presidential Campaign Council.
On the day of the incident, the thugs arrived with guns, cutlasses and other dangerous weapons while counting was underway for the House of Representatives election. Their aim was to snatch ballot boxes, papers and other relevant materials. Four boxes were snatched, but security personnel were able to retrieve two of them. The incident occurred around 7.20 pm.
An eyewitness, Abdulkadir Babangida, reported that the hoodlums arrived at the venue suddenly, and security operatives had to intervene to retrieve the two boxes from the four carried by the thugs.
The incident caused chaos and unrest at the polling unit, and it is unclear what effect this may have on the election results. The recovery of the two boxes may help preserve the integrity of the election, but it is a worrying sign of the lengths to which some individuals will go to interfere with the democratic process.
The security personnel involved in the retrieval of the ballot boxes are to be commended for their bravery in the face of danger. It is vital that electoral violence and intimidation be prevented to ensure a peaceful and transparent democratic process.
