A statement by the Force Police Public Relations Officer CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi on Wednesday, said they were released after the Independent National Electoral Commission confirmed that they were staff of Emperor Technology, outsourcing engineering services to the Commission.
In a viral video of the arrest of the staff, they were said to have been allegedly manipulating the BVAS machines to rig the February 25 presidential election for a particular candidate.
The Nigerian Police Force says it had released some individuals in a viral video arrested in Maitama, Abuja, with electoral materials and some Bi-Modal Voters Accreditation System (BVAS) machines.
A statement by the Force Police Public Relations Officer CSP Olumuyiwa Adejobi on Wednesday, said they were released after the Independent National Electoral Commission confirmed that they were staff of Emperor Technology, outsourcing engineering services to the Commission.
In a viral video of the arrest of the staff, they were said to have been allegedly manipulating the BVAS machines to rig the February 25 presidential election for a particular candidate.
But reacting to the claims and insinuations, the police authorities debunked it, and advised Nigerians to discountenance the false and misconstrued narrative being spread by some sections of the media about the arrest of these individuals and their link with BVAS manipulation.
In the statement titled: "General Elections: Police Confirm Officials In Viral Video To Be INEC Engineers, No Arrests Or Seizure Made," Adejobi said "operatives of the Nigeria Police Force Intelligence Bureau (FIB), acting on a tip from residents of an area in Maitama who reported suspicious activities, visited the location, interviewed the occupants, and conducted a search on the house.
"In the course of the search, some electoral materials and BVAS machines were discovered in their possession.
"However, the Independent National Electoral Commission, when contacted, confirmed that the occupants of the house are staff of Emperor Technology, outsourcing engineering services to the INEC, and they were immediately released to go about their lawful business."
He added, "The Force, while urging well-meaning members of the public to discountenance the false and misconstrued narrative being spread by some sections of the media about the arrest of these individuals and their link with BVAS manipulation, charged reporters and media houses to endeavor to do due diligence and ascertain the veracity of the information on the public space before spreading such to avoid being victims of the “breaking news syndrome”.
"Furthermore, the Nigeria Police urges all and sundry to avoid the creation and spread of misinformation and disinformation which is capable of causing disaffection between the populace and state actors more so as we are at a critical and sensitive moment in our democracy."