CVR: Insecurity bars INEC from accessing 4 Borno LGAs

From Usman Abubakar, Maiduguri

Four out of the 27 local government areas of Borno State are still not secured for the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) to conduct the 2035/2026 Continuous Voter Registration (CVR) there.

The local government areas are: Abadam, Guzamala, Kala-Balge and Marte.

The State Resident Electoral Commissioner, Abubakar Ahmad Ma’aji, disclosed this to newsmen in Maiduguri, Wednesday, as part of the preparations for the commencement of the exercise scheduled for Monday, August 18.

Consequently, INEC said all residents of Abadam eligible for the exercise are to register at Yerwa Peace, Baga Road, Maiduguri; while their counterparts from Guzamala are to do so at Fire Service Department, 1,000 Housing Estate, Maiduguri;.

Also, those from Kala-Balge are to participate in the exercise at GonMi Kachallari Primary School, Mafa Road, Maiduguri; while those from Marte are to do so at Kachamari, opposite Shettiram Filling State, Gamboru-Ngala Road, Maiduguri.

The REC said those from the four affected LGAs who cannot access Maiduguri from their home communities or wherever they are taking refuge as IDPs due to the enduring terror could do so at the nearest secure locations they can access in other LGAs.

While listing the locations for the exercise in all the other 23 LGAs, Ma’aji disclosed that there are 66,072 unclaimed PVCs of the last exercise.

He said the exercise is to be conducted in three phases: Phase 1 – 28th August – 10th December, with the register to be displayed from 15th December – 21st December; Phase 2 – 5th January (2026) – 17th April, with the register to be displayed 20th April – 26th April, 2026; and Phase 3 – 4th May – 17th August, with the register to be displayed 24th August – 30th August 2026.