Journalists covering the ongoing Osun State governorship election were reportedly attacked by hoodlums following a violent disruption at the polling unit of the African Democratic Congress (ADC) governorship candidate, Najeem Salaam, in Ejigbo Local Government Area of the state.
The incident occurred on Saturday, August 15, shortly after Salaam and his wife cast their ballots at his polling unit in Ward 4, Ejigbo.
According to reports, suspected hoodlums invaded the area, causing panic among voters, electoral officials, observers and journalists covering the election.
The development disrupted voting as voters and election officials reportedly fled the polling unit amid concerns for their safety.
Salaam was subsequently whisked away from the scene by his security operatives as the situation became tense.
Journalists who arrived at the location to cover the incident were also reportedly attacked. Some vehicles belonging to journalists were said to have been damaged during the confrontation.
The Nation also reported that the disruption forced INEC officials, observers and journalists to leave the polling unit, while voting was halted following the security breach.
Security personnel, including officers from the Department of State Services (DSS) and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps (NSCDC), were reported to have arrived at the scene in an attempt to restore order.
However, voting remained disrupted at the time of the reports, with some voters waiting for information on whether the exercise would resume.
The identities of the suspected attackers and the motive behind the incident had not been independently established as of the time of filing this report.
The incident has raised fresh concerns over the safety of voters, electoral officials, journalists and other stakeholders participating in the Osun governorship election.
The Osun election is being contested by several candidates, including incumbent Governor Ademola Adeleke, APC candidate Bola Oyebamiji and ADC candidate Najeem Salaam.
Guide Express will continue to monitor developments from Osun State as voting, counting and collation of results progress.
