Zamfara bye-election: Missing INEC officials found

The two ad hoc staff of the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) who were declared missing during Saturday’s bye-election in Bakura constituency of Zamfara state have been found.

While presenting her report, A’isha Bawa, registration area supervisor of Bakura ward 001, had said she did not see either the staff or the election results from two polling units.

Bukura recorded incidents of violence and ballot-box snatching, forcing INEC to declare the exercise inconclusive.

But speaking to journalists on Monday, Nick Dazang, INEC director, voter education and publicity, confirmed that the staff had been found “hale and hearty”.

“I am exceedingly glad to report that the administrative secretary, Zamfara, Garba Lawal, just informed me that our ad hoc staff who went missing had been found, hale and hearty,” Dazang said.

“According to him, they had run for their dear lives and in the process could not retrace their ways back. May Almighty God be praised for this wonderful development.

“The REC Zamfara, administrative secretary and the security agencies who spent sleepless nights and worked assiduously to recover the staff equally deserve our appreciation. Kudos to them and more grease to their elbows.”