By Suzan Edeh

 Bauchi -The Bauchi state Police command has arrested twenty persons for various electoral offences during  Saturday’s National Assembly election.

The Bauchi state commissioner of Police,  John Abaka Sanga who made this known  to newsmen at the Police Headquarters in Bauchi, said that the electoral offences ranged from possession of dangerous weapons, snatching of ballot boxes, impersonation, giving of false information, thuggery and mischief.

While parading the suspects at the state command, the police commissioner said that they were arrested in different parts of Bauchi State during the election.

The police commissioner noted that the case was still being investigated by the police command and that the suspects would soon be charged to court.

He said that in view of the forth coming elections in the state, the Bauchi State police command would continue to strategise and intensify efforts towards ensuring that the security of lives and property were safe in the state.

One of the suspects, who identified himself as Sadiu Magua, said he was arrested in Danbam local government for stealing a ballot box during the election.

Narrating how he got arrested, Sadiu said, “It was when fracas erupted in the polling centre where people were casting their votes that I attempted to help the police to hide the ballot box from being destroyed.

While I was taking the ballot box away, a police man at the polling unit now arrested me for stealing the ballot box. I was only trying to help, not steal the ballot box as misunderstood by the security agencies”

 Another suspect who hails from Niger Republic, said that he was arrested by the security agencies at the Bauchi State polytechnic, during the elections in Bauchi local government and that because he had stayed for a long period in Nigeria, he felt that he should vote, which according to him, led to his arrest.