Idowu Owohunwa, the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, denied reports of widespread violence and voter suppression during the governorship and House of Assembly elections held on Saturday, March 18. In an interview with Channels TV, he acknowledged that attacks on voters and electoral officers occurred at some polling units, but he stressed that these incidents were not pervasive enough to affect the overall electoral process.
Owohunwa explained that the police responded swiftly to most of the attacks, as had been anticipated. “It is true that we’ve recorded instances of violence in some areas within the state. The incidents were not as widespread as to affect the general dynamics of the process,” he said. He added that the police had integrated expected trouble spots into their operational plan and activated the relevant protocols, allowing them to address breaches promptly.
Addressing a video that showed voters allegedly overpowering a young man accused of snatching a ballot box, Owohunwa called the act illegal. He confirmed that the man was rescued by police and other security agencies and was receiving medical attention, noting, “He’s stable; he’s not dead.” The commissioner also reported that numerous arrests were made and that virtually all the ballot boxes involved in the snatching incidents were recovered.
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