2023 polls: Hooligans injure many, raze seven motorcycles in Niger

Trouble allegedly erupted inaJima community of Lavun Local Government Area, Niger State during Saturday’s presidential and National Assembly polls, following a sharp disagreement at a polling unit in the area.

It was reported that the disagreement was between the members of the community and supporters of the various political parties, resulting in violence.

According to the media report, many residents in the village sustained various degrees of injuries, some vehicles were destroyed, and about seven motorcycles were burnt.

Jima is a community near the Dokko area hosting three other villages consisting of Edogi, Emiworo and Jumata.

Eyewitnesses from the area disclosed that police personnel was among those injured in the crisis. However, the officials of the Independent National Electoral Commission, INEC, were safely whisked away from the polling unit by some members of the community.

Some of them observed that the disagreement that led to the crisis was unfortunate and uncalled for and appealed to the state government and security agencies to intervene to prevent reoccurrence during the March 11, 2023, governorship elections.

The Niger State Police Command’s Police Public Relations Officer, PPRO, DSP Wasiu Abiodun, when contacted, explained that the command is yet to receive any official information concerning the crisis as of the time of filing this report.