This had been confirmed by the Kogi State Police Public Relations Officer, William Aya, in Lokoja in the first week of December.
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) has moved the materials it used for the November 11 Kogi State governorship election from its office in Lokoja, the Kogi State capital, to Abuja.
The INEC Chairman, Prof Mahmoud Yakubu, gave the order against the background of the series of attacks on the commission’s office in Lokoja.
SaharaReporters had also reported how the Nigeria Police Force ordered an investigation into the attack on the residence of the State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC) of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), Hale Gabriel Longpet, in Lokoja.
This had been confirmed by the Kogi State Police Public Relations Officer, William Aya, in Lokoja in the first week of December.
The electoral materials were loaded in no fewer than four trucks on Friday afternoon under heavy security, as they departed for the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja.
The materials moved to Abuja include election results, BVAS and other relevant sensitive documents used in the election.
An INEC official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to Daily Trust, said the order was from above and that it was in order to ease the smooth operation of the Kogi State Governorship Election Petitions Tribunal.
The source stated, “The materials used in prosecuting the November 11 governorship election are no longer safe here (in Kogi) because of incessant attacks on INEC officials, offices and tribunal members by thugs sponsored by unknown politicians.
Therefore, the commission ordered the removal of the materials to a safe place.”
The tribunal earlier moved its sitting to the National Judicial Council complex in Jabi, Abuja because of the security threats in Lokoja.
The attack on INEC’s office in Lokoja and the threat to the safety of the electoral materials used in the election was confirmed by both the INEC and the Kogi State Police Command through separate statements recently.
The materials were moved to Abuja over the attacks.