The Nigeria Police Force has debunked the trending news in the media indicating the alleged arrest of some individuals in Maitama, Abuja, with electoral materials and some Bimodal Voter Accreditation System machines by its officers.
The Force, while urging well-meaning members of the public to discountenance the “false and misconstrued narrative” being spread by some sections of the media about the arrest of these individuals and their link with BVAS manipulation, charged reporters and media houses to endeavour to do due diligence and ascertain the veracity of the information in the public space before spreading such to avoid being victims of the “breaking news syndrome”.
The spokesperson for the NPF, Olumuyiwa Adejobi, revealed this in a statement on Wednesday.
Adejobi said, “Operatives of the Force Intelligence Bureau, acting on a tip from residents of an area in Maitama who reported suspicious activities, visited the location, interviewed the occupants, and conducted a search on the house.
“In the course of the search, some electoral materials and BVAS machines were discovered in their possession.
“The Independent National Electoral Commission, when contacted, confirmed that the occupants of the house are staff of Emperor Technology, outsourcing engineering services to INEC, and they were immediately released to go about their lawful business.”
Furthermore, the police urged all and sundry to avoid the creation and spread of misinformation and disinformation which “is capable of causing disaffection” between the populace and state actors more so as the nation is at a critical and sensitive moment in its democracy.
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