3,345 BVAS DEPLOYED AS FCT POLL SEES MOVEMENT LIMITS
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By: Balogun Ibrahim
The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) announced that Bimodal Voter Accreditation Systems (BVAS) will be deployed at all polling units for the Federal Capital Territory area council elections, with results to be uploaded to the Result Viewing Portal to ensure transparency.
The disclosure was made by INEC Chairman, Prof Joash Amupitan (SAN), during a high-level stakeholders’ forum on Wednesday.
At the forum, Amupitan detailed the commission’s preparations for the polls and reiterated its commitment to conducting a peaceful, transparent, and credible election.
He also highlighted that operatives from the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC) and the Independent Corrupt Practices and Other Related Offences Commission (ICPC) would be present at polling units to prevent vote trading and other electoral offences.
“Anyone caught buying or selling votes will be apprehended and punished according to the law,” Prof Joash Amupitan warned.
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He added that INEC would deploy 1,132 vehicles, 620 motorcycles, and 14 boats to ensure smooth movement of personnel and election materials, emphasizing that there must be no logistical lapses on polling day.
Amupitan also reiterated that the commission would remain completely neutral in the elections.
“INEC has no political party affiliation and no preferred candidate. Our responsibility is clear: to provide an environment where residents of the Federal Capital Territory can freely choose their representatives,” Prof Joash Amupitan said.
He urged political parties, candidates, and their supporters to conduct themselves peacefully and called on security agencies to remain professional and impartial throughout the elections.
The commission is set to deploy at least 11,288 ad hoc personnel for Saturday’s FCT area council elections, as the Nigeria Police Force announced a territory-wide restriction of movement to enhance security during the exercise.
INEC has fixed February 21, 2026, for the elections across the FCT’s six area councils.
According to findings by The PUNCH, 2,822 polling units have been designated, with each unit staffed by a Presiding Officer and three Assistant Presiding Officers, in line with INEC’s standard procedure.
Supervisory Presiding Officers will coordinate activities at ward centres, while sensitive election materials—including ballot papers, BVAS devices, and result sheets—are scheduled for early deployment to council offices to prevent delays on election day.
With four officials assigned to each polling unit, the total deployment of ad hoc personnel is expected to reach at least 11,288.
INEC announced that voting would take place across 2,822 polling units, supported by 3,345 BVAS devices to facilitate voter accreditation and the transmission of results.
The commission’s chairman noted that 89 observer groups and 700 journalists have been accredited to monitor the elections, while multiple security agencies will be deployed to maintain order.
A senior INEC official overseeing the FCT area council elections told The Media that sensitive materials including ballot papers, BVAS devices, and result sheets—would undergo thorough checks on Wednesday before being moved to council offices on Thursday.
Another official at the FCT INEC office explained that the early deployment of materials is intended to enhance the electoral process and prevent delays on election day, ensuring a smooth voting experience.
To ensure a smooth election, the FCT Police Command deployed personnel across the territory and announced a restriction of movement from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on election day.
Exemptions were granted only to essential service providers and election officials.
In a statement on Wednesday, Josephine Adeh plan in coordination with sister security agencies, including the “,”nigeria”], Nigerian Air Force”], Nigerian Navy “,”nigeria”], and the Nigeria Security and Civil Defence Corps
“The command urges all FCT residents to remain law-abiding and to exercise their civic duties peacefully and without fear, as robust security measures have been put in place,” the police spokesman said.
He added that the Commissioner of Police, FCT Command parties—including the All Progressives Congress nigeria”], Peoples Democratic Party nigeria”], entity[“political_party”,”Labour Party”,”nigeria”], and Social Democratic Party are in close contests, particularly in Abuja Municipal Area Council and Bwari, while the African Democratic Congress and smaller parties also aim to make electoral gains.
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