CITIZENS COMPASS– There were pockets of violence on Saturday, in some parts of Lagos State following the presidential and National Assembly elections which took place in Nigeria.
The violence began with burning of electoral materials in Oshodi followed by an attack on officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) in the area.
The officials were said to be moved to the headquarters of the Lagos Police Command in Ikeja.
Apart from Oshodi, there was violence in the Elegushi area of Lagos as political thugs were seen arriving polling units in bikes, scared voters away and disrupted electioneering processes.
In Surulere part of Lagos, suspected thugs attacked voters at some polling units where they carted away election materials.
At PU 040 on Ladele Dada Street, Ikate Surulere, guards were ordered to lock the gates leading to an estate to prevent invasion by thugs.
“At least, when they come they will meet some resistance,” the guard who locked the gate said. “Before they can attack us, we will respond with what we have,” he added.
Ago-Palace Way and Iba, Okota, Mafoluku and Ikate were not left out of the violence as suspected thugs were said to have prevented voters from exercising their voting rights.
In some of the affected areas, election materials were either carted away or set ablaze.
In Lekki, a popular singer, Falz was said to have lost his phone after an attack on his polling unit but the phone was later recovered.
The singer took to the social media to confirm that his stolen phone has been recovered.
Taking to social media, influencer Pamilerin had earlier revealed that Falz was attacked and his phone went missing after his polling unit was under an attack by thugs.
He wrote: “FALZ and other voters have just been attacked and his phone has been stolen at Ikate Lekki. The ballot papers are being torn apart and scattered by the area boys there, they saw the support for Labour Party and couldn’t take it!!
Alleged threatening of voters
A video has gone viral on the social media where the Chairman, Lagos State Parks and Management Committee, Alhaji Musiliu Akinsanya popularlly known as MC Oluomo was captured threatening people who voted for the presidential candidate of Labour Party, Peter Obi.
The video captured him insisting that such people will not be allowed to vote.
Responding, The Chairman, Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Mahmood Yakubu , while fielding questions from journalists said the situation had been brought under control in some of the affected areas.
