Bayelsa: Militants Disrupt Election In Amassoma Ward Of Ijaw South

Reports just reaching us from Bayelsa State say Niger Delta ex-militants have disrupted the election in Amassoma ward of Ijaw South Local Government Area.

The militants carrying firearms are said to have chased away the voters and INEC officials conducting the exercise in the area. INEC officials, journalists and other stakeholders are reported to have scampered to safety.
Soldiers and other security personnel who accompanied the INEC ad hoc staff are trying to stop the ex-militants.
Voting in Ijaw South Local Government Area was scheduled to commence at 6PM.
“Severe Militant Activities”
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had on Saturday rescheduled the governorship election in Southern Ijaw Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.
An official of INEC, Professor Mustapha Leki, announced the rescheduled election at the headquarters of INEC in Yenagoa, the capital of the State. He said the INEC experienced major disturbances and challenges in a number of places, especially the Southern Ijaw Local Government Area.
“These were occasioned as a result of severe militant activities. As a result of this development and working in conjunction with security agencies, our first concern is to take steps to stabilise the situation to ensure the safety of electoral officials and the security of materials,” he told reporters.
He said that the development had hindered the distribution of election materials to polling units in distant places in good time for voting to commence.
According to him, the situation had been stabilised for voting to take place in the affected areas on Sunday.