Police intercept ballot boxes in Ogun

he Police in Ogun State yesterday disclosed that a vehicle carrying about 3,600 ballot boxes belonging to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had been intercepted.

According to the Police spokesman, DSP Muyiwa Adejobi, a team of the soldiers attached to the 35 Artillery Brigade, Alamala, Abeokuta who were on stop and search around the Odogbolu area of the SagamuIjebu Ode-Benin expressway intercepted the vehicle.

According to Adejobi, upon interception, the soldiers could not ascertain the authenticity of the ballot boxes and therefore handed them over to the police at Ijebu Ode area.

He said there was however information that the consignment belongs to INEC and that the ballot boxes were meant to be delivered at Akwa Ibom State.

“We want to think without mincing words for now that we cannot call the ballot boxes fake or illegal ones,” the police spokesman said

Adejobi said the INEC official that spoke with the police said the contractor who was to deliver the items would come over with relevant documents to clarify the matter.

“Don’t let us say that we have recovered illegal ballot boxes. It is too early for us to jump into any conclusion now, but the information we have with us for now is that they are INEC properties, but we are still waiting for necessary documents to clarify this,” he said.

“However, if they cannot produce the document to convince the police that these are genuine INEC items and ballot boxes, we are going to do what we should do. But for now, the matter is still fresh to jump into conclusion,” Adejobi was quoted as saying.