Soldiers arrest woman for snatching ballot papers in Nasarawa

There was confusion at Polling Unit 026, Gayam Ward, Lafia in Nasarawa State on Saturday after a woman, suspected to be a political thug snatched ballot papers from electoral officials and ran away.

The woman arrived at about 1pm with thugs said to be loyal to one of the parties and grabbed the ballot papers from the National Youth Service Corps members at the unit and ran away.

Our correspondent, who was at the unit, observed that while policemen struggled in vain to arrest her, she was chased by some soldiers on Makurdi Road and some of the ballot papers were retrieved from her.

The incident happened just 30 minutes after Salamatu, wife of Governor Tanko Al-Makura, cast her vote at the unit.

A domestic election observer, Mr Peter Bitrus, said as policemen tried to arrest the woman, some suspected thugs working with her aided her escape.

He said, “It was a conspiracy. The governor’s wife voted in this polling unit and we expected that security would be tight here.

“The exercise had been largely peaceful before this woman came and caused pandemonium. She was dressed in a long black gown and she hid the papers under the gown.”

From the results of the governorship election announced around 4pm at the unit, the All Progressives Congress won with 214 votes, while the All Progressive Grand Alliance got 174 votes. The Peoples Democratic Party came third at the unit with 101 votes.

In most polling units monitored in Lafia, the election officials complained about inadequate ballot papers and stamps.

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