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By Tracy Moses
Tension erupted at Polling Unit 1002, Ogo/Oluwa Kitan, in Osogbo Local Government Area of Osun State, on Saturday after suspected gunmen stormed the polling unit, fired shots and snatched ballot boxes during the governorship election.
The incident occurred shortly after the reporter left the polling unit, while three other journalists who remained at the scene witnessed the attack.
According to the eyewitnesses, the men, whose faces were covered, arrived at the polling unit in a Sienna bus and a white Hilux vehicle before firing several shots.
The gunfire reportedly sent voters, election officials and other persons at the polling unit scrambling for safety as the attackers allegedly made away with ballot boxes.
A man was also allegedly shot in the leg during the incident.
The attack disrupted voting at the polling unit and heightened tension in the area as voters fled the scene.
The incident occurred amid heightened security across Osun State, where voters turned out on Saturday to elect the next governor.
As of the time of filing this report, the identity and condition of the injured man were not immediately known. It was also unclear whether security operatives had arrested any of the suspected attackers.
The development comes against the backdrop of concerns over electoral violence and the safety of voters, election officials, journalists and sensitive electoral materials during the exercise.
Security agencies had deployed personnel across the state as part of measures to maintain law and order and safeguard the electoral process.
The circumstances surrounding the attack, including the number of ballot boxes allegedly taken and whether the electoral materials could be recovered, were not immediately clear.