The Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) on Sunday said that some of its officials on election duty were held hostage in the Brass Local Government Area of Bayelsa State.

Expressing concern over the situation, INEC stated that the actions of holding officials hostage were detrimental to the credibility of the electoral process.

In a statement on its verified X platform, the commission urged security agencies, particularly the police, to take immediate action to rescue the electoral officers and ensure their safety.

INEC condemned the action as “detrimental to credible elections” and called on security agencies including the police to swing to action and rescue the electoral officers.

“We call on the security agencies to immediately facilitate their release,” the commission said.

The incident unfolded amid protests in the oil-rich South-South state over alleged result manipulation as the collation of the November 11, 2023, election results commenced.

Protesters, including state commissioners and lawmakers, asserted that elections did not take place in the Nembe area of the state. The tense situation escalated further as Bayelsa State Governor, Duoye Diri, accused Timipre Sylva, the candidate of the All Progressives Congress (APC), of orchestrating electoral violence in the Nembe-Bassambiri area.

Governor Diri, who is seeking re-election under the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), expressed concern about the violent tendencies associated with Timipre Sylva’s involvement in elections over the years.

The governor linked Sylva to incidents of violence and lawlessness, particularly in Nembe-Bassambiri. Timipre Sylva, a former Bayelsa governor and the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources from 2019 to 2023, has been a prominent figure in the state’s political landscape.

The unfolding events underscore the challenges facing the electoral process and the need for swift intervention by security agencies to ensure the safety of INEC officials and uphold the integrity of the democratic process.