By: Oliseama Okwuchukwu

. Violence reported in Lagos, Rivers, Akwa Ibom, Edo

Today’s Presidential and National Assembly elections turn out to be marred with records of deaths, ballot box snatching, among other irregularities, GRASSROOTS.NG can report.

There are reports of deaths due to sporadic shootings in River State and Akwa Ibom States.

Also, in Edo State, reports available to GRASSROOT.NG, show that late arrival of INEC workers caused some panicking among the voters.

In Lagos State, for instance, some ballot boxes at Polling Unit 18 located at junction of Ohafia/Ago Palace Way, Okota in Oshodi/Isolo LGA of Lagos State, according to eye witness account, were set on fire.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) correspondent who witnessed the incident reports that Polling Unit 23 located on Baba-Ewe Street/Ago Place Way was also affected by the fire.

INEC ad-hoc staff at the polling units, as well as voters who came out to cast their votes, ran away from the polling centres for safety.

A team of the Special Anti-Robbery Squad (SARS) of the Lagos State Police Command arrived at the scene to apprehend suspects.

As at the time of this report, the INEC ad-hoc staff and voters had yet to return to the units.

Also, at Polling Units, 035 and 036 located at Adeneken Street/Alhaji Olusesi Street Junction and Adeneken Street/ Olusesi, Ago Palace Way, respectively, a group of young men in tricycled and motorcycles disrupted the exercise by attempting to force voters to vote for a particular candidate.

A team of SARS also intervened, shooting in the air. The team arrested some suspects. The state Commissioner of Police, Mr Zubairu Muazu, confirmed the crisis at Okota, saying that he had ordered the area commander to be on top of the situation.