Police arrest printing press owner who illegally prints INEC materials for Ekiti polls

A printing press in Lagos that illegally produces Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) material for the forthcoming Ekiti governorship poll has been discovered by the police command. The commissioner of police for the state, Imohimi Edgal, revealed that the command also found a voter card register of the commission in the press.

The police command in Lagos state on Monday, July 9, discovered and uncovered a printing press where election materials meant for the election holding in Ekiti State were allegedly produced..

The Cable reported that Imohimi Edgal, the Lagos commissioner of police, to the printing press located at 13A and 13B, Oguntona street, Gbagada area of the state.

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Edgal revealed that the search as a response to intelligence information that ballot papers meant for the forthcoming governorship election in Ekiti state were being printed at the printing press. Two persons were arrested when the Police stormed the company.

Included in the items the police discovered were a booklet of form belonging to Ekiti state Independent Electoral Commission (EKSIEC), and a copy of the state’s voter card register.

Briefing journalists after the raid, Edgal said: “On July 8, an intelligence report from a credible source was received by the Command that ballot papers meant for the forthcoming gubernatorial election in Ekiti were being printed in a company, O’Naphtali Limited, located at 13B Oguntona crescent, Gbagada, Lagos.

“The company is owned by one Eniola Fayose. The report further revealed that some of the printed ballot papers were moved to Ekiti in three Hilux vans on Friday July 6, while the artworks were still in the company’s graphic computers.

“Based on the report, I led a contingent of policemen to the location, to verify the information. At the scene, it was also discovered that the buildings are being used for general printing/artwork.”

Edgal said that a search warrant was executed on the premises and the following items were recovered were one HP laptop, one Acer laptop, one booklet of form EC/ EK 8B Ekiti State Independent Electoral Commission (EKSIEC); three EKEC 50 A envelops for miscellaneous materials, two pieces of Ekiti SEC, eight A(1) statement of result, and one copy of form Ekiti SEC eight A(1).

Others were one income tax clearance certificate of Ekiti state, seven pieces of Ekiti state Internal revenue motor receipts, one piece of form EC 8A of Ekiti SEC, one piece of Ekiti state voter’s card register, log book cover for Ado local government.

He added that preliminary investigations by the security operatives indicated that the firm is said to be in an agreement with the state's chapter of the Independent Electoral Commission (INEC) “to print the elections materials found during the search.” Edgal said the recovered exhibits are being scrutinised by police ICT experts.

Meanwhile, a check on the company’s website shows that it describes itself as “a printing solutions company.”

Meanwhile, Legit.ng reported that the spokesperson of Nigeria Police Force, Jimoh Moshood, on Sunday, July 8, explained why 30,000 police personnel were deployed to Ekiti state for the Saturday, July 14 governorship elections.

Moshood, who was a guest on Channels Television Breakfast programme, Sunrise Daily said Ekiti state is a ‘flashpoint’ and deploying 30,000 officers for the election is not an over-deployment but an adequate figure to ensure security.

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Source: Legit.ng