APPALLED by the lax state security apparatus and its tendency to rush into conclusions, Nigerians have expressed serious fears concerning reports of stolen Direct Data Capture (DDC) machines being imported by the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) and its implications on the 2011 elections.
There are worries that samples of the DDC machines in unauthorised hands could be secretly imported into the country and distributed to undermine the process.
A consignment of the machines imported for the registration of voters, were reported stolen by thieves at the Murtala Muhammed International Airport, Ikeja Lagos. The incident took place last Monday night at the Cargo Terminal of MMIA, while the machines were awaiting clearance by the suppliers, on behalf of INEC.
While the Airport Command of the Nigeria Police confirmed the incident, and paraded four suspects, who allegedly stole the DDC machines, INEC’s Director of Public affairs, Emmanuel Umenger cleverly offered a rather simplistic explanation of the situation. According to him, the stolen DDC machines did not belong to the Commission, so long as it was yet to take delivery of the orders.
But other stakeholders in the 2011 polls view the attempt as posing grave dangers for the elections.
Bonaventure Maduafokwa, former Special Adviser on Security Matters to former Anambra State Governor, Chinwoke Mbadinuju, and Managing Director of High Stakes Security Consult told The Guardian that the syndicate behind the theft could be out to study the security imprints of the machines with a view to criminally duplicating and cloning the prototypes.
According to him, Professor Attahiru Jega could be reduced to a mere agent in his own election, pointing out that when acquired by authorised persons, the DDC machines could be mass produced and secretly imported into the country and distributed surreptitiously to undermine the process.
He wondered why INEC did not work in concert with the Department of State Security Services, (SSS) to ensure that, on arrival, the machines were transported to well secured INEC warehouses to avoid such embarrassment, contending that the failure could lead to a rehash of the 2007 ‘abracadabra’ when sensitive election materials, ranging from result sheets to ballot papers, were duplicated nationwide for the purpose of rigging.
He said: “The alleged theft of DDC machines if true, portends grave implications for the integrity of the 2011 general elections. This is because only those registered with the machines would be eligible to vote and when acquired by unauthorised persons or groups other than INEC that will irredeemably make free and fair elections a mirage. The DDC machines in the hands of desperadoes could equally be studied to determine brand security imprints and secretly imported into the country and distributed surreptitiously nationwide by the syndicates at play with the sum total implication that Prof. Jega would be reduced to a mere agent in his own election.”
Chief Nana Ogbodo, a People’s Democratic Party (PDP) leader in Enugu State is worried at the pranks politicians engineer just to undermine every good effort of government.
He said, “Not being a computer wiz-kid, I cannot easily fathom what other use these machines could be put to. It is not distant therefore for one to suspect mischief. In a country where it is fashionable to pad up every data, including voters’ registration, who can tell whether some desperate politicians have not begun to register their own voters? Yet it is not Prof. Jega’s duty to maintain security at such national institution like the Murtala Mohammed International Airport. Who does not know the inexplicable politics of voter registration exercise in the country? Beyond whatever Prof. Jega and his INEC may plan, Nigerian politicians are several steps ahead of him in perverse motive. INEC may never ever be factual about the critical issue of the actual number of voters registered for the next general elections.
MEANWHILE, a visit by The Guardian to the residences of three of the four suspected DDC machine robbers in Shasha and Akowonjo areas of Lagos following a statement from the Nigerian Police showed little trace of the suspects.
The first port of call was 17, Samuel Street, Akowonjo, where one of the suspects, Mrs. Modupe Sunmonu, is said to reside. In a chat, one Mr. John, an occupant of a flat on the ground floor, said he knew nobody by that name Modupe Sunmonu.
Asked if he was aware of the theft of DDC equipment and that one of the suspects is resident in his compound, John said has no knowledge of the issue.
A woman at the second flat said she knew nobody with such name. Other women around also denied knowledge of the suspect.
At 2, Ogunride Street, where another suspect, Mr. Joshua Bamidele, is said to be resident, three people claimed no Joshua Bamidele lives in the compound. However, one Mr. Taofeek, who said he is not aware of the stolen machines, admitted that about three days earlier, some plain clothed security men came around to arrest a man who stays next door to him. According to him, he could not explain why the man was picked up.
source:http://www.ngrguardiannews.com/
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