The report that a National Youth Service Corps member on election duty in Abuja was killed, has prompted the denial of the police.
A video of a Corps member, an election officer, being attacked by angry electorate at a polling unit in Abuja had gone viral.
It was reported that the attack arose from allegation that the Corps member manipulated the election outcome, and prompted the rumoured killing.
The same electoral fraud slur was thrown at the police officers at the scene.
Disclaiming the reports, the Federal Capital Territory Police Command said, the Corper is alive and gave official account of what transpired at the scene in a statement FCT Police Command, Josephine Adeh issued on Sunday.
It reads, “The FCT Police Command wishes to set the records straight concerning a case of 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 INEC staff to salvage electoral materials after they were attacked by the electorate at the polling unit.”
Adeh further noted that the incident which occurred at Polling Unit 009, Lugbe Local Education Authority began when INEC officials arrived the Polling Unit with incomplete electoral materials which angered the electorate who resorted to attacking the officials and destroying the materials alleging an attempt at disenfranchisement.
She added, “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 electorate who poured their anger on the officers as well as the officials.
“It is equally pertinent to state that the corps member who was attacked in the video was shielded and taken to safety by the Divisional Police Officer and his men from the Lugbe Divisional Headquarters. He was not murdered as alleged in trending news.”
