Abuja Gears Up for Area Council Elections With New Technology and Tight Security

The Federal Capital Territory is preparing for its upcoming Area Council elections, with authorities confirming that new voter accreditation technology will be deployed in every polling unit to ensure smooth voting and result reporting.

Election officials have announced that Bimodal Voter Accreditation Systems (BVAS) will be active across all polling units, and results will be uploaded online to improve transparency.

INEC’s chairman, Prof. Joash Amupitan, emphasized the commission’s commitment to a credible and peaceful election, stressing that anti‑corruption agencies will be present to discourage vote buying and other unlawful activities.

In preparation for the polls, election materials and personnel transport have been readied well in advance. Thousands of polling officials are set to work, and early deployment of sensitive items such as ballot papers and BVAS machines has already begun.

To maintain order, the Nigeria Police Force announced an election‑day movement restriction from 6:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., with exemptions only for essential services and accredited electoral staff. Security officers from multiple agencies will be deployed across the territory to safeguard voters and the electoral process.

Authorities continue to urge political actors and residents to remain peaceful and cooperative as Abuja heads into this key civic exercise.