The Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, has raised the alarm over the Bimodal Voter Accreditation System, BVAS, as the target of attack by hoodlums who are out to compromise the electoral system in the ongoing presidential and National Assembly election.
The chairman of INEC, Professor Mahmood Yakubu, raised the alarm on Saturday while giving update at a press briefing held at the International Conference Centre, Abuja, on the general situation of the voting exercise going on across the country.
He said BVAS, the accreditation device, being used for the exercise had come under serious attacks with some of them lost.
This, he said, was as opposed to previous experiences where ballot boxes were the targets of hoodlums.
According to him, some of the devices had been lost in Delta, Katsina and Anambra states.
He however said that three devices had been recovered in Katsina from about six lost.
He said the contingency arrangement made by the commission had made it impossible for the loss of the devices to hoodlums to have effect on the electoral process.
He said in view of the developments and ahead of the next stage of the electoral process which was the sorting and collation of results, some special efforts were already being made to ensure adequate security for personnel and devices used.
“We’ll continue to proceed courageously despite the attack,” Yakubu said.
He said the commission had already met with security chiefs, the National Security Adviser, and leaders of other security outfits ahead of the next stage.
He said INEC was not joking with the situation as it was critical.
According to the INEC chairman, there was need to protect the devices as they would be used for other coming elections.
He spoke about the situation in Yenagoa, Bayelsa State where the electoral process was disrupted in 141 polling units.
He said the materials to be used for the exercise the in units were intact and the election would be held tomorrow.
The INEC chairman added that the situation in Okota, Mafoluku, Elegushi areas of Lagos State had been put under control.
He said so far, election had been completed in many areas and the sorting and collation of result had already begun.
Acknowledging that election started late in some areas, Yakubu assured that all those that had been on the queues as at the time scheduled for the closure of the exercise would be allowed to exercise their voting rights before close of exercise at the different polling units across the country.
Yakubu also confirmed the attack by suspected terrorists in Gwoza of Borno State.
He said although some people were injured, no life was lost.
