Some ballot boxes at Polling Unit 18 located at junction of Ohafia/Ago Palace Way, Okota in Oshodi/Isolo LGA of Lagos State have been set on fire.
Polling Unit 23 located on Baba-Ewe Street/Ago Palace Way was also affected by the fire.
INEC ad-hoc staff at the polling units, as well as voters who came out to cast their votes, ran away from the polling centres for safety.
Before their escape, some of them were beaten by the thugs.
A team of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Lagos State Police Command arrived at the scene to apprehend some of the suspects.
As at the time of this report, the INEC ad-hoc staff and voters had yet to return to the units.
Also, at Polling Units, 035 and 036 located at Adeneken Street/Alhaji Olusesi Street Junction and Adeneken Street/ Olusesi, Ago Palace Way, respectively, a group of young men in tricycled and motorcycles disrupted the exercise by attempting to force voters to vote for a particular candidate.
A team of SARS also intervened, shooting in the air. The team arrested some suspects.
Commissioner of Police, Mr Zubairu Muazu, confirmed the crisis at Okota, saying that he had ordered the area commander to be on top of the situation.
He also said no fewer than 23 persons were arrested for various electoral offences in the state.
Muazu told newsmen after monitoring the exercise with the AIG Mr David Folawiyo that nine persons were arrested for allegedly burning and destroying election materials at Okota.
The CP said that 10 motorcycles used by the hoodlums to move to Okota were recovered.
He said nine persons linked to a cult group were also arrested for thuggery in Somolu area and for attempting to cause problems during the elections.
Muazu said during a stop and search operation by some policemen, two suspects were arrested at Stadium area Surulere in a private car, and one locally-made pistol recovered from them.
“At Alakara area of Mushin, three suspects were arrested trying to disrupt the elections.
“No death was recorded in Lagos State. Although social media says so, in all the areas I visited, I did not see any dead person and none of my officers reported any death to me,” he said.
Muazu said that the police was investigating the free movement of some persons on motorcycles at Okota where hoodlums disrupted elections.
“There were some crises at Ijora area, but they were brought under control.
“The elections were peaceful generally. Voting went on smoothly and ended well in most of the polling units.
“Those arrested will be charged to court at the conclusion of investigation,” Muazu said.
