The rumor that some people were arrested in Maitama, Abuja, in possession of electoral materials and some Bimodal Voter Accreditation System machines has been disproven by the Nigeria Police Force.
While urging well-meaning members of the public to disregard the “false and misconstrued narrative” that some sections of the media were spreading about the arrest of these individuals and their connection to BVAS manipulation, the Force also urged reporters and media outlets to try to do their due diligence and determine the veracity of information in the public space before spreading it to avoid falling victim to the “breaking news syndrome.”
Olumuyiwa Adejobi, the NPF’s spokesperson, made this clear in a statement on Wednesday.
“Operations of the Force Intelligence Bureau, 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,” Adejobi stated.
“Some electoral materials and BVAS machines were discovered in their possession during the search.
“Upon being contacted, the Independent National Electoral Commission confirmed that the occupants of the house are employees of Emperor Technology, which outsources engineering services to INEC,” and they were given immediate permission to carry out their legal responsibilities.
In addition, the police urged everyone to avoid creating and disseminating false information because it “is capable of causing disaffection” between the people and state actors, especially given that the country is going through a pivotal and delicate period in its democracy.