3,600 ballot boxes intercepted in Ogun

Detectives in the Ogun State Police Command are investigating the circumstances surrounding the 3,600 ballot boxes belonging to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC), which were intercepted by some soldiers on Tuesday.
The truck-load of ballot boxes were intercepted in Ijebu-Ode, Ogun State by soldiers attached to the 35 Artillery Brigade, Alamala, Abeokuta, who were on stop and search mission.
A source told Freedom Online that acting on a tip off, the soldiers stopped the truck and they were not disappointed with their findings.
The detectives are already investigating whether the boxes were being conveyed to a particular state or being diverted to perpetrate rigging in the February elections.
The state Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), Muyiwa Adejobi, a Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP), confirmed the incident.
Adejobi said the driver of the vehicle had been arrested, adding that the soldiers handed the recovered items to the Ijebu-Ode Area Command, Igbeba.
He said: “This morning around‎ 8 a.m., a team of soldiers attached to the 35 Artillery Brigade, Alamala, Abeokuta who were on stop-and-search “OP-MESA” around the Odogbolu area of the Shagamu-Ijebu Ode-Benin Expressway intercepted a vehicle containing about 3,600 ballot boxes.
“Upon interception, when they could not ascertain the authenticity of the ballot boxes, they handed them over to the police at Ijebu-Ode Area Command. Police, thereafter, commenced investigation into the matter.
“As I speak with you, we have the 3,600 ballot boxes belonging to the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC). Information we have about the consignment is that some INEC officials have called and some officials from Wharf also called to confirm that the consignment belongs to INEC and that the ballot boxes are meant to be delivered at INEC office in Akwa Ibom State.
“Without mincing words for now, we cannot call the ballot boxes fake or illegal ones.‎ The INEC official that spoke with the police said the contractor who is to deliver the items will come to the police to deliver the relevant documents to clarify this.
“So, the items are still with us at the command; we are waiting for the necessary documents to ascertain the claims of INEC or the so-called agent.”