Voting in the Governorship and State House of Assembly elections have been marred in Lagos and Kano as political thugs invade polling units, snatching ballot boxes and smashing them.
The voting in Polling Unit 075 in Iyana-Isashi, Lagos State was stopped by the thugs who were brandishing guns and other dangerous weapons.
But as the disruption of voting and violence continued in Lagos, voters have mobilized with weapons in some areas to counterattack against the marauding thugs.
In another incident, soldiers shoot a thug dead as they were disrupting voting.
In several polling units in Rimin Gado Local Government Area of Kano State, at least 10 ballot boxes were destroyed.
Sources confirmed that voting was progressing peacefully when unidentified thugs disrupted the process and destroyed the ballot boxes.
Officials of the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC) who just arrived at the INEC office at Rimingado with some ballot boxes said they escaped by a whisker.
One of the NSCDC officials have bruises all over his arm while his uniform was covered in dust.
Some of the wards and polling units where the incident happened include: Dugurawa (4 boxes), Jujin Kosau, Jili ward; Yelwa, Kongi 009.
In Lagos, residents of the area decried the incident, saying voting had been disrupted.
One of the residents, Collins Michael, who earlier cast his vote at the polling unit, told our correspondent that thugs came in numbers and snatched the ballot boxes amidst shooting.
He said, “We were voting peacefully when we heard noises coming from the bus stop. People started running as thugs came in motorcycles to scatter this place. They snatched the ballot boxes and left while we ran for safety.”
Also Stanley Ndive, who cast his vote at a polling unit within Shibiri roundabout, said thugs escorted him to the polling booth pointing a bottle to his head and forced him to vote against his choice.
“They pointed a bottle to my head while escorting me to the polling booth, to vote for APC,” he said. Some residents of Ojo Local Government Area of the state, alleged intimidation of voters.
Stanley Ndive, who cast his vote at a polling unit within Shibiri roundabout, said thugs escorted him to the polling booth pointing a bottle to his head and forced him to vote against his wish.
“They pointed a bottle to my head while escorting me to the polling booth, to vote against my wish,” he said.