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PDP Accuses INEC of Thump printing Ballot Papers in Borno A Month After Election
PDP Accuses INEC of Thump printing Ballot Papers in Borno A Month After Election
By: Michael Mike
Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) candidate in the Borno Central Senatorial election, Hon. Muhammed Kumaila has alleged that the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) are still thump printing ballot papers in its keep barely a month after the election.
Kumaila who said this amounted to destroying and tampering with evidence that would be presented before the Election Petitions Tribunal, alleged that some adhoc staff of the commission in Borno were caught thumb printing and stuffing ballot boxes within the premises of Borno office of INEC in Maiduguri last Wednesday almost a month after the Presidential and National Assembly elections were held.
Addressing journalists in Abuja on Saturday, Kumaila said following the outcome of the National Assembly election, where he lost to the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), Kaka Shehu Lawal, he had filed a petition before the Election Petitions Tribunal sitting in Maiduguri.
He added that he subsequently obtained a court order to inspect materials used for the elections, which he said included the ballot boxes, used and unused ballot papers as well as obtain Certified True Copies of the result and collation sheets among others.
When contacted, Head of Department, Voter Education and Publicity, Abba Liberty, said the issue was beyond him.
“I am not in a position to respond. I think you should contact the Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC). I have restrictions to what I can respond to please. That is the nature of my work and that is my stand”, he stated.
Kumaila, however, disclosed that while his team of lawyers were undertaking the inspection of materials on March 22, 2023, they discovered some INEC ad-hoc staff sorting out, rearranging and counting ballot papers and stuffing them in different ballot boxes in respect of Mafa, Kala Balge and Dikwa Local Governments.
He said: “Our inspectors immediately raised alarm and accordingly reported the incident to the Borno State Resident Electoral Commissioner (REC). They drew the attention of the REC that the actions of the Ad-Hoc staff amount to tampering with evidence. The REC assured our team that the Ad Hoc Staff were only rearranging the documents that were dumped on them by the respective Local Government Electoral Officers who brought the materials from the local governments. Although we were not satisfied with the explanation, we gave them the benefit of the doubt and continued with the inspection.
“To our surprise, by the next day, Thursday March, 23, 2023, our inspectors this time around caught red handed two ad-hoc staff actually thumbprinting ballot papers and stuffing them into ballot boxes for Mafa Local Government right inside the premises of the INEC office in Maiduguri. Our Inspectors immediately arrested the two staff involved in the thumb printing and stuffing of ballot boxes and took them to the Bulumkutu Police Station together with the bundles of ballot papers that were thumb printed and the indelible ink they used.
“We were surprised that no official of the Maiduguri INEC office took interest to accompany our team to the police station in order to ensure the arrest of the ad-hoc staff and undertake investigation of any possible crimes.
“The police officials took the statements of the complainant and the two ad-hoc staff and arrested them. They also invited the Electoral Officer for Mafa Local government who brought the materials to the Maiduguri INEC office from Mafa Local Government to give a statement. Our team was informed by the police at Bulumkutu Police Station to come back the next day so that the case will be transferred to the Maiduguri Criminal Investigation Department (CID) for further investigation and prosecution.”
Kumaila explained that since the ballot and results sheets would serve as evidence in court, any attempt by any official, permanent or adhoc to thumb print or move ballot papers from one ballot box to another after the elections have been concluded amounts to tampering with evidence.
He added: “When our team arrived the police station the next day as requested for the case to be transferred to the CID, the DPO informed our team that the suspects have been released to the officials of the Maiduguri INEC office and the bundle of ballot papers and the indelible ink (Exhibits) have been returned to the INEC office in Maiduguri.
“They opined that the case is not within their jurisdiction and that we should go to the police station at Mafa Local Government to complain, ostensibly forgetting that they had a day earlier informed our team that the case will be transferred to the Maiduguri CID department. The action of the DPO amounts to obstruction of justice and failure to carry out his lawful duty.
“One issue that begs for an answer is who are the INEC officials that the suspects were released to and also collected the bundles of Ballot papers from the Police station and returned to the INEC office? Those INEC officials that collected the ballot papers from the police station and returned them back to the INEC office are as complicit as the Ad-Hoc staff that were caught thumbprinting the ballot papers. It is therefore obvious that the INEC officials and the DPO are involved in suppression, concealing and aiding of crime as well as tampering with evidence.
We have video evidence of the suspects when they were caught thumbprinting the ballot papers.
He urged the Inspector General of Police and the Director General, Department of State security Service (DSS) to immediately direct investigation into this matter with a view to apprehending the culprits and prosecuting them in accordance with the law.
He said the IGP should direct the Borno State Commissioner of Police to arrest the two ad-hoc staff of INEC by names that were caught thumb printing and stuffing ballot boxes in respect of Mafa local government right inside the premises of INEC office in Maiduguri.
He also urged security agencies to investigate the culpability of the INEC officials that caused the release of the suspects and also took back the ballot papers and indelible ink that were handed over to the police as exhibit.
PDP Accuses INEC of Thump printing Ballot Papers in Borno A Month After Election
News
International Police Academy – UNIPOL Appoints Joseph Icha, as Director International Counter Narcotics Training Nigeria Section
International Police Academy – UNIPOL Appoints Joseph Icha, as Director International Counter Narcotics Training Nigeria Section
By: Bodunrin Kayode
The international Police Academy (UNIPOL) has Appointed Deputy Commander General (DCG) Joseph Icha,
Director Training and Manpower Development, National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA) as Director International Counter Narcotics Training Nigeria Section.
A statement from the academy’s management stated that “the academy proudly announces the appointment of
DCG Joseph Icha, Director Training and Manpower Development, NDLEA as Director International Counter Narcotics Training Nigeria Section.
“This appointment recognizes
DCG Joseph Icha, Director Training and Manpower Development, NDLEA. exceptional contributions to national security, law enforcement leadership, and international cooperation.”
Icha has served the Agency in various Senior Management capacities as Principal Staff Officer, Assistant State Commander, Assistant Director, State Commander, and Deputy Director among others, with commendations.
The new international counter narcotics boss has attended several law enforcement courses on Drug Supply Suppression and Drug Demand Reduction within and outside the country.
“He is a Master Trainer with the United Nations Office of Drug and Crime (UNODC) in Drug Law Enforcement intelligence led investigation strategies and Criminal Intelligence. ” said the statement.
Joseph Icha has facilitated training programmes on behalf of UNODC to various law enforcement agencies in the country.
DCG Joseph Icha is a Law Enforcement Operative, mentor, curriculum designer, and advisor per excellence.
He is also a member of several international professional Organizations and currently is the Director Training and Manpower Development of NDLEA.
This important appointment was pronounced under the leadership of Dr. Alexander Jan M (Hany El Zahar), Executive Director, Founder, and CEO of the International Police Academy – UNIPOL, and IPA President (Rtd.) Senior Superintendent of Police Shuaib Adam HSC OLY VJ, International Director of Law Enforcement, Police, and Military, with the support of Prof. Yuval Binstoc (IPA) and Sir Junustia Brecen.
International Police Academy – UNIPOL Appoints Joseph Icha, as Director International Counter Narcotics Training Nigeria Section
Plateau State Complied with the deadline for 2024 Audited financial Reports…. Manset
By: Bodunrin Kayode
Plateau State Accountant General Naanret Manset has said that it was not true that Plateau state has refused to comply with the deadline given to states for the submission of 2024 audited financial statements.
Reacting to a report published recently, the accountant general in a statement noted that “the attention of the Office of the Accountant-General of Plateau State has been drawn to a publication by the Foundation for Investigative Journalism (FIJ) titled ‘It’s Past Deadline, 5 States Fail to Publish 2024 Financial Statements’, which wrongly lists Plateau State as one of the defaulters.”
Naanret Manset maintained that “For the record, Plateau State fully complied with all statutory timelines for the preparation, audit, and publication of its 2024 audited financial statements
“Submitted same to the Auditor-General in May, 2025 which is within the stipulated period of 6 months.
“Audit completed in June, 2025 and forwarded to the House of Assembly which is also within the stipulated period of 3 months.
“Approved by the House of Assembly
Published online on 27 July 2025, below the legal timeline of 9 months.
The audited report is publicly available here:
“We urge FIJ to promptly correct their publication and remove Plateau State from the list of non-compliant states.
Plateau State remains committed to transparency, accountability, and timely financial reporting.” It noted.
The FIJ had recently published that six Nigerian states are yet to publish their audited financial statements for the 2024 fiscal year.
It revealed that five of such erring states have already past their statutorily implied deadlines which Plateau is saying is not true as it applies to them.
The publication had said that ” erring states are Akwa Ibom, Kaduna, Ogun, Oyo, Plateau and Rivers.
“In Akwa Ibom’s case, its amended 2021 audit law gives the auditor general up to nine months to publish the report online after submitting it to the House of Assembly.
“The Accountant General has six months to present the books, followed by a 90-day audit and submission period.
” In the other five states, audit laws differ in the year they were enacted or updated, but the process is similar.
“The Accountant General must submit the financial documents to the audit office within three months after the financial year ends.
” The Auditor General is then required to audit the report, send it to the House of Assembly and publish it immediately.
“The Ogun State Audit Law (2021), Rivers State Audit Law (2021, as amended), Akwa Ibom State Audit Law (2021), Oyo State Audit Commission Law (2021) and Plateau State Audit Law (2021) all set out these requirements.
” In Rivers, however, publishing the audit is left to the discretion of the Auditor General.
“In past years, these states have published their audits between June and August. Some have also been ranked among the lowest in transparency.
” The CJID Openness Index, released in July 2024, placed all six in the bottom tier along with 10 others.”
Recently, FIJ reported Akwa Ibom’s repeated disregard for budgetary transparency despite binding provisions in its Fiscal Responsibility Law.
The FIJ report maintained that two states Yobe and Ekiti, scored above average for transparency and accountability in 2024, with 73 per cent and 54 per cent, according to the Sub national Audit Efficacy Index, published by the Paradigm Leadership Initiative.
The report noted that the annual assessment, which measures financial transparency and policy adoption across Nigeria’s state governments, shows a familiar trend: “stagnation or decline.”
Plateau State Complied with the deadline for 2024 Audited financial Reports…. Manset
Prof. Ribah clarifies stance on dialogue, says he does not support ransom or levies to bandits
…cautions against misrepresentation of position on dialogue with bandits…
By: Zagazola Makama
Prof. Abubakar Usman Ribah, a peace advocate and member of the Peace Committee, has cautioned social media users against misrepresenting his views on dialogue with bandits as a strategy for sustaining peace in the troubled North West Zone.
Ribah, in a video made available to newsmen on Wednesday, said his comments on dialogue had been twisted and circulated on Facebook, TikTok and X (formerly Twitter), in ways that fuel misunderstanding and hostility.
He urged users to “fear God and stop changing the narrative to suit their own views,” stressing that selective quoting of his remarks was misleading and unfair.
“Social media users should fear God and stop changing the narrative that goes contrary to our own views. You are quoting a segment that suits your narratives, leaving out the rest, and continue to circulate it. That is misrepresentation,” Ribah said.
He explained that his position on dialogue was not in support of paying levies or ransoms to bandits but in favour of a government-led engagement that addresses the root causes of the conflict.
“We believe that fighting with guns only prolongs crises. For 10 years, it has not yielded results, and that is why we wanted to end it through dialogue.
“And the dialogue we are seeking is not the one where villagers go on their own to negotiate with bandits, pay levies in order to farm, or pay ransom to release family members. That type of dialogue is not sustainable. It is betrayal.
“The dialogue we support is the one led by government, where authorities can solve the pressing issues between farmers and herders, and address the needs and demands of all conflicting parties,” he said.
Ribah clarified that his advocacy for dialogue predated the current administration and had been consistent for more than seven years.
“This did not start with this government. I have been engaging in dialogue for over seven years. You can go through my pages. War cannot end war, but dialogue will, if both conflicting parties agree. This is what we are talking about,” he said.
The peace advocate dismissed allegations that he and other members of the Peace Committee were shielding or supporting bandits.
“Some are accusing us of supporting bandits, some are accusing us of giving them protection. But how can we protect bandits that are killing people? No way. What we want is to stop the bloodshed, where everyone will be allowed to go about his normal life,” he stressed.
Ribah further accused some social media commentators of being “conflict entrepreneurs,” whom he said benefitted from circulating negative reports of attacks.
“Some people benefit from telling negative stories of attacks. They are conflict entrepreneurs. We want them to focus on telling positive stories instead of dwelling on negativity,” he added.
The North West Zone, particularly Zamfara, Sokoto, and Katsina States, has for years been plagued by banditry, mass killings, abductions, and forced displacement, with government and stakeholders divided over the most effective approach to peacebuilding.
Prof. Ribah clarifies stance on dialogue, says he does not support ransom or levies to bandits
International Police Academy – UNIPOL Appoints Joseph Icha, as Director International Counter Narcotics Training Nigeria Section
Plateau State Complied with the deadline for 2024 Audited financial Reports…. Manset
Prof. Ribah clarifies stance on dialogue, says he does not support ransom or levies to bandits
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