Uncertainty continues to cloud the process of the bye-election in Kano as security operatives recovered electoral materials, including ballot boxes and papers, from suspected political thugs in the Shanono Local Government Area of Kano State.

The Guardian reliably gathered that the election could not be held in some polling units in the Shanono LGA following the violent disruption of the process orchestrated by thugs who carted away ballot boxes.

“Honestly, there were crises in so many polling units in Shanono where some politicians mobilised their people to cause trouble. The disruption was so tense that the election could not be held in some polling units,” an INEC ad hoc staff member who did not want his name mentioned told The Guardian.

Additionally, Abdulkadir Adamu, the electoral officer in charge of Shanono Local Government, reported that security operatives had recovered several electoral materials and detained an INEC staff member.

Adamu explained that the electoral officer was arrested after abandoning the electoral materials and struggling to escape from the trouble spot.

“He was arrested and detained by the police alongside the electoral materials. We reached out to them for the release of our staff, but we are surprised they have refused to release him. We are aware some people were arrested for electoral malpractice, but our staff were intercepted while trying to escape from the trouble zone,” Adamu narrated.

Meanwhile, the spokesperson of the Kano Police Command, SP Abdullahi Haruna Kiyawa, confirmed the arrest of over 200 thugs and the recovery of several electoral materials suspected to have been hijacked.