Anambra state election: WhatsApp viral propaganda audio cause hotel owners to ‘close shop’

Hotel wey get closed sign in front

BBC

One audio message wey don go viral on social media platform WhatsApp ahead di 6 November governorship election for Anambra state don cause panic for some parts of di state.

Di message wey plenty Nigerians don share and “reshare” don also mislead di pipo and residents of Anambra for South east Nigeria.

“Make no hotel take guests and make dem shutdown dia business,” na so di man tok for di WhatsApp audio.

Hotels close shop for parts of Anambra

Local sources say di viral WhatsApp audio message don make plenty pipo especially villagers dey fear.

BBC Pidgin don also observe say most hotels wey dey for villages don close down dia services.

Dis dey happen as police mount check points for many parts of di road.

Ugah and Umuchu for Aguata Local Government area, Isuofia for Njikoka, some parts of Idemili, Oraifite and Ihiala na some places wia hotels don shut down dia services.

“We get information say make we no open for business because of di election. Even though na propaganda we still get to close down. We no want any problem from dis boys,” one hotel manager wey no wan mention im name tell BBC Pidgin.

One hotel customer, Ugochukwu wey be election observer for Anambra state also share im experience.

“I come from Umuahia to come check into my hotel for Isuofia only for di manager to tell me say dem don close till Sunday. E even say dem go return di money of pipo wey don book for reservation already. 

I bin wan monitor di election wia Prof. Charles Soludo go vote but I don come dey stranded. I go need go back Awka now,” Ugochukwu tell BBC Pidgin.

Wetin police, security agencies tok

“I want make everybody disregard dat message about threat to hotels. 

We don put security measures to ensure security of everybody.

Di number of police posted dey higher dan previous elections,” Zaki Ahmed, Deputy Inspector General of Police tell tori pipo for Awka.

DIG Ahmed, for meeting wey im hold wit heads of police tactical units, tori pipo, civil society organization ahead of Saturday 6 November governorship election for Anambra State say police dey very alert.