Guber Elections: Commissioner of Police denies widespread violence claims in Lagos
The Commissioner of Police in Lagos State, Idowu Owohunwa, has denied claims of widespread violence and voter suppression in the governorship and House of Assembly elections held on Saturday, March 18.
Owohunwa, who debunked the report in an interview with Channels Television on Saturday, admitted that attacks on voters and electoral officers were recorded at some polling units in the state but they were not widespread.
The police chief noted that his men responded swiftly to most of the attacks as expected.
In his words, “It is true that we’ve recorded instances of violence in some areas within the state. The incidents were not as widespread as to affect the general dynamics of the process.
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“Most of the instances were properly responded to by the police because we anticipated them.”
While responding to a video of voters said to be overpowering a young man alleged to have snatched a ballot box, Owohunwa noted that it was illegal.
He said the man was rescued by the police and other security agencies, adding that the suspected electoral offender was receiving medical attention.
“He’s stable; he’s not dead,” Owohunwa said
The Commissioner of Police further noted that a lot of arrests were made and ballot papers were recovered.
