Hoodlums have snatched five ballot boxes in the Saturday bye- election in Nassarawa State, North central Nigeria, though the exercise was  generally peaceful.

Mr. Lawal Shehu, the State Commissioner of Police told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) that the boxes were snatched at Ugwar ward of Toto Local Government Area of the state.

According to the Police Commissioner, officials of Independent National Electoral Commission reported the snatching of ballot boxes containing electoral materials in units 003,004,005,006 and 008 of the Local Government.

He however added that his men are working to recover the boxes and arrest of culprits.

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“We are doing our best to ensure violence- free election; to also ensure the protection of lives and property, as such we will not allow any person or groups to cause distraction,” he said.

He called on voters to remain peaceful, law-abiding and respect constituted authorities in order to have free air and acceptable bye- election.

In spite of the incident,  a former member of National Assembly, Sen. Abubakar Sodangi, has lauded the peaceful conduct of the exercise.

“I want to commend the INEC and the electorate for their peaceful conduct; I urge them to sustain the tempo,” NAN quoted him as saying after casting his vote

Also speaking with newsmen, Mr Ahmed Musa, Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) aspirant for the Nasarawa/Toto federal constituency, expressed optimism that PDP will win the bye-election.

He also praised the electorate for their peaceful conduct and urged them to maintain their good conduct.

Alhaji Murtala Sodangi (APC-Nasarawa Central), who is also the chairman, House Committee on Urban Development, Nasarawa State House of Assembly, urged voters to be patient with the APC- led federal and state government in order to enjoy the more dividends of democracy.

Mr.Sani Bawa, former chairman of Nasarawa Local Government area of Nasarawa state and a chieftain of the APC in the state, also commended INEC and the electorate for the peaceful conduct of the exercise.

The bye election was to elect a representative into the Nasarawa/Toto Federal Constituency seat made vacant by the death of Hon. Musa Onwana of the All Progressives Congress (APC).

The three major political parties in the state – APC, All Progressives Grand Alliance, APGA and Peoples Democratic Party, PDP presented candidates are locked in a fierce battle to claim the vacant seat.

Earlier report by NAN indicated that the bye-election was characterized by poor turnout of voters.

A NAN Correspondent who monitored the exercise reports that accreditation and voting started simultaneously around 8:30am in most of the polling units, with proceedings gong on peacefully.

An Assistant Presiding officer at Angwan Dallatu polling unit of Nasarawa central ward in Nasarawa Local Government Area, Mr. Ahmed Mohammed, told NAN that accreditation and voting took place same time to ensure that nobody was disenfranchised .

However, Mr.Abubakar Ibrahim, an agent of APC at the ward, expressed concern over malfunctioning of the card readers.
“My problem is with the card readers; they are not functioning well the way we had expected; we want transparent and peaceful election,” he said

Mr. Mohammed Umar, a voter, described the exercise as peaceful and commended Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and security agencies for their arrangement towards ensuring peaceful election.

At Angwan Girku 1 polling unit of Nasarawa Local Government Area, Miss Aisha Audu, a voter also expressed satisfaction with the peaceful conduct of the exercise.

She however decried low turnout of voters and attributed it to the unfilled promised made some by politicians and hardship currently faced by the people.

Other polling units visited by NAN in the area includes Madaki 1, Madaki 2, Angwan Maireke and Angwan Dutse 2 polling units among others