IMANI Africa, a policy Think Tank has questioned the Electoral Commission (EC) on the alleged discovery of 10 obsolete biometric verification devices (BVDs) that were discovered at a recycling plant. The EC, in a statement on Friday, April 26, 2024, explained that some 10 Biometric Verification Devices (BVDs) found at a recycling company in Madina were obsolete devices which had been legally auctioned.
In response, IMANI Africa, questioned the basis of the auctioning process, demanding clarification on various aspects. They asked about the auctioneers, whether they were licensed and how the auction was conducted. Additionally, they inquired about the successful bidders and the purpose behind purchasing obsolete devices hard-coded for electoral purposes.
Furthermore, IMANI Africa questioned the involvement of a commercial recycling plant in handling these devices, given their potentially sensitive data. They called on the EC to provide transparent and detailed information on the auction and disposal of these BVDs, emphasizing the importance of maintaining public trust in the electoral process.
“The EC claims that the 10 BVDs were auctioned and that they just somehow then found their way into a recycling plant. Who were the auctioneers? Are they registered auctioneers licensed to conduct auctions by the Auctioneers Registration Board?”
“Who were the successful bidders? How was the auction advertised? Why would anyone want to buy 10 used biometric devices that the EC claims have been “hard-coded” for electoral purposes, for which reason it has refused to use the thousands of devices bought in recent years?”
“Why would a commercial recycling plant be interested in just 10 devices? Who authorised the recycling of the devices in a facility without adequate secure data handling capabilities?”
By: Hamdia Mohammed
