Most residents of Benin have defied the statewide restriction on vehicular and human movement imposed for the Edo Local Government Area elections holding on Saturday.
The News Agency of Nigeria reports passengers and motorists were seen moving around parts of the Benin metropolis on Saturday morning.
NAN correspondents monitoring the exercise are reporting that vehicular and commercial activities were observed around major areas including Ring Road, Airport Road, and the New Benin axis.
Commercial buses, tricycles, and private vehicles were seen conveying passengers, while traders also opened shops in some parts of the city, in apparent disregard for the restriction order.
The movement occurred in spite of the directive by the Police Command in Edo, restricting movement across the state from 12:00 midnight to 6:00 p.m. on election day, July 11.
The Police Public Relations Officer, ASP Eno Ikoedem, had said in a statement on Friday that the restriction formed part of comprehensive security arrangements put in place in collaboration with other security agencies to ensure a peaceful, orderly and credible electoral process.
She noted that the measure was aimed at preventing the infiltration of hoodlums and ensuring the unhindered movement of electoral materials and personnel.
In some areas, residents and commercial drivers claimed ignorance of the restriction, while others said they were going about their normal businesses because “nothing was happening” at their polling units.
A commercial driver at Ring Road, who identified himself simply as Edos, said: “We no hear say dem restrict movement today. We dey hustle because we get family to feed.”
Another resident in New Benin said the low turnout at polling units might be responsible for the continued movement, as many voters stayed back at home.
NAN also observed that voter turnout was generally low in many polling units visited within the metropolis.
The Edo council election is being held to elect chairmen and councillors across the 18 local government areas of the state.
As at 9:45am voting had not commenced at the units while accreditation was still ongoing in some, with one or two police officers maintaining presence to forestall breakdown of law and order.
As at the time of filing this report, security personnel were not seen at strategic points in the city monitoring compliance.
