Nigeria: 47 armed individuals arrested at polling stations in Bauchi

The Bauchi State police arrested 47 individuals found armed at polling stations in the Disina constituency of the Shira local government area during a by-election on Saturday, September 19. The detainees claimed to belong to a state security structure, according to the police command.

Officers deployed for the election seized firearms, machetes, and sticks. The 47 individuals have been placed in custody, and their transfer to the Bauchi State Criminal Investigation Department has been ordered for further investigation and potential prosecution.

Prior to the vote, the command had prohibited state security structures, paramilitary groups, private security companies, and vigilante groups from participating in election security. Only agencies recognized under the inter-agency committee responsible for electoral security were allowed to operate at polling stations and collation centers.

The Independent National Electoral Commission is conducting by-elections on September 19 in the Disina and Sakwa constituencies in Bauchi State. INEC had scheduled five by-elections for September 19, including those in Bauchi, Gombe, Delta, and Kano.

An investigation has been launched regarding the presence of armed individuals

Police Commissioner Sani-Omolori Aliyu condemned the violation of electoral security protocols and called for an investigation into the circumstances that led to the armed individuals being present at the voting areas. The command did not specify the identity of the security structure they claimed to belong to, nor did it indicate at this stage which political actor they may have been acting on behalf of.

The results of the Disina election had not yet been officially announced at the time of the arrests. The INEC results platform listed ongoing voting in Bauchi, Gombe, Delta, and Kano on Saturday.