Nigeria election supervisor issues apology for voting delays

• The head of Nigeria’s election commission apologized for delays.
• Caused by security services’ suggestions for protection of people and property.
• The Inec boss claimed that three of them had been recovered.

The head of Nigeria‘s election commission has apologized for the delays voters in various regions of the nation have encountered.

In the central collation center in the nation’s capital, Abuja, Mahmood Yakubu briefed the media following widespread allegations of the late arrival of voting materials and election officers in some states.

The Independent National Electoral Commission’s (Inec) head claimed that certain delays were brought on by suggestions made by the security services for the protection of people and property.

He claimed that Delta, a state in the south, had seen an armed attack on some polling places, during which at least two voter card verification machines were taken.

In order to allow voting to take place, Mr. Yakubu said that the stolen items were afterwards replaced and security was increased.

At least six Bvas, or voter card checking machines, were taken during an attack on a polling place in the northern state of Katsina by suspected criminal groups.

The Inec boss claimed that three of them had been recovered and that the others had been changed.

Mr. Yakubu verified that rebels had fired on the election officials from a mountain top in the Gwoza area in the northeastern state of Borno, where an Islamist insurgency has been raging for more than ten years.

According to reports, the shooting injured some election officials, he stated.

He continued by saying that the election commission would keep an eye on the situation and give frequent updates.

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