Robbers have raided Nigeria”s main international airport and stolen just-arrived equipment to register voters for next year”s elections, which were found later in a nearby bush.
Direct Data Capturing (DDC) machines imported into Nigeria to register the voters for a general election April next year were stolen at Murtala Muhammed International Airport in Lagos yesterday.
The equipments were later discovered by security men in a bush near the airport.
Officials says it was not a planned robbery; rather, the usual pilfering by thieves in conjunction with some workers.
“The theft of the DDC machines was not orchestrated by either politicians or soldiers but part of the stealing that goes on at the airport everyday,” a source at the airport told PTI.
“The police have commenced investigation on the matter to unravel the mystery surrounding the disappearance of the machines. We have also invited the Agent Services Solution, a clearing agent to Zinox Technologies, the contractors for questioning.”
The disappearance of machines generated much concern and President Goodluck Jonathan had to summon the Minister of Aviation Fidelia Njeze and the Managing Director of the Federal Airports Authority of Nigeria (FAAN) Richard Aisuebeogun to an emergency meeting.
The president had also ordered a high scale security investigation into loss of the machine meant to register 70 million voters.
The airport is notorious for harbouring thieves who often connive with workers to steal imported items.
Nigeria, Africa”s biggest democracy with a population of 150 million returned to civil rule in 1999 after several years of military intervention.
Since then, presidential elections which are conducted every four years have been won by the PDP,
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) had announced April 9 as the date for the country”s presidential elections following an amendment of the constitution by the parliament.