By: Sunday Ameh
Tension engulfed Magama Ward in Nasko, Magama Local Government Area of Niger State on Saturday as aggrieved residents set the local office of the Niger State Independent Electoral Commission (NSIEC) ablaze over alleged missing result sheets for the scheduled local government elections.
According to eyewitnesses, electoral officials reportedly arrived with ballot papers but without the official result sheets — a situation that immediately sparked outrage among residents who accused the officials of attempting to manipulate the electoral process.
The protest quickly escalated into violence as angry youths stormed the commission’s facility, setting the building on fire. Several sensitive election materials were reportedly destroyed in the inferno, though the extent of damage is yet to be officially confirmed.
Security forces were later deployed to restore order in the area. As of press time, it remains unclear whether any arrests have been made in connection with the incident.
Residents who spoke to reporters accused the electoral body of “deliberately attempting to skew the outcome of the election,” demanding immediate intervention and transparency from NSIEC.
The incident comes just hours before Niger State’s local government elections, already marked by heightened tension and accusations of political interference. Only days earlier, outrage trailed the reported arrest of a student from Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University in Mokwa linked to pre-election activities.
Officials of the electoral commission have yet to issue an official statement on the situation.
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