Armed Thugs Disperse Voters, Set Ballot Boxes On Fire In Lagos

Unidentified armed thugs in their large numbers invaded some polling units in the Oshodi and Itire areas of Lagos, dispersing voters with dangerous weapons and setting ballot papers and boxes on fire.

The masked thugs dressed in black disrupted the exercise in the affected units on Saturday when Nigerians filed out in their large numbers to vote in the presidential and National Assembly elections.

Sources said the thugs went round the area, minutes after some security personnel on election duty left their duty post. Some voters who defied the intimidation by the thugs and refused to run away were injured.

An eyewitness said minutes later, the thugs opened fire as everyone scampered for safety.

“It was later that the thugs set the ballot box and some materials on fire,” the eyewitness who pleaded anonymity said.

In Itire area, the thugs were said to have arrived at about 12pm, scaring away voters from the different polling units.

Another eyewitness who gave his name as James Nwoke, alleged that it was a deliberate attempt to disenfranchise non-indigenes in the state.

Lagos metropolis witnessed a heavy military and police presence in the Saturday’s election to forestall breakdown of law and order.