Election: Police denies officer allegedly thumb-printed ballot papers in FCT

The Federal Capital Territory Police Command has debunked reports making the rounds that an officer of the command was caught thumbprinting ballot papers during the Saturday elections.

There was a report that an officer attached to the Polling Unit 009, Lugbe Local Education Authority (LEA) was thumbprinting ballot papers.

But a statement by the Police Public Relations Officer, SP Josephine Adeh denied the report saying the officer was only assisting.

The statement reads, “The FCT Police Command wishes to set the records straight concerning misinformation and disinformation on social media alleging that a Police Officer was caught with thumb-printed ballot papers.

“This is not the fact as the Officer was only assisting Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) Staff to salvage electoral materials after they were attacked by electorates at the polling unit.

“The incident which occurred at Polling Unit 009, Lugbe Local Education Authority (LEA) began when the officials of the INEC arrived at the Polling Unit with incomplete electoral materials which aggravated the electorates who resorted to attacking the officials and destroying the materials alleging an attempt at disenfranchisement.

“The Officers, in an attempt to prevent the officials from being mobbed and the materials destroyed, assisted in moving some of the items, to the annoyance of the electorates who poured their anger on the officers as well as the officials”.