Protests as Soldiers invade collation centers
Not less than four persons were feared killed in Saturday’s governorship and House of Representative polls in Rivers State.
According to reports, a policeman and three others were killed by suspected gunmen while a chieftain of the Peoples Democratic Party, Mrs. Emilia Nte, was kidnapped.
This is just as ballot box snatching and vote-buying characterised the exercise in some parts of the state.
One Michael Abedinigo, who hails from Upatabo community, was killed in Akinima, Ahoada West Local Government Area of the state.
He was said to have been shot by thugs while resisting attempts to snatch electoral materials.
Thugs sacked polling unit 5 in Etche Ward 2, in Etche local government area of Rivers State at about 10.0am.
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The policeman [killed] was said to have tried to protect Nte, who is a former council chairperson, from being abducted when the gunmen shot him. The incident happened at about 6pm on Friday in Nyeada, Andoni Local Government Area of the state.
Nte, according to a source from the area, was returning home when the gunmen accosted her vehicle, attacked the policeman before whisking her away.
Though report stated that Nte was shot dead, the state Police Public Relations Office, Nnamdi Omoni, said she was kidnapped and not killed.
“It was the policeman, who tried to engage the gunmen, that was killed and not the woman. The woman was kidnapped by the gunmen,” Omoni stressed.
But despite the casualties, elections in the state was relatively peaceful compared to the violence that characterised the state during the Presidential and National Assembly elections.
Elections in Abonnema in Akuku-Toru Local Government Area as well as in Bonny and Okrika areas where large scale violence led to the suspension of elections during the Presidential and National Assembly election held peacefully.
However, there were reports of ballot box snatching by politicians aided by armed men in military uniform.
Happening Now! Standoff between men of @HQNigerianArmy and the people of Eleme LGA in Rivers State over the Army's unlawful hinderance of voters from freely casting their votes. Working with serving Nigerian Ambassador Orji Ngofa, the army is being used to undermine the election pic.twitter.com/yU90SOJOVy
— Oraye St. Franklyn (@SaintOraye) March 9, 2019
It was also gathered that a man and a woman leader of the All Progressives Congress lost their lives in another gun attack in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni LGA.
Omoni confirmed Abednego’s death, adding that the police had yet to get the full details of what happened.
He also promised to find out what happened in Ogba/Egbema/Ndoni, where two persons were reportedly killed.
Thanks to the @HQNigerianArmy Ward 10 Akuku-toru) was ransacked by APC thugs and took away results of 4 units. They had earlier hijacked the whole materials for Wards 12, 15, 16 and 17. This is after days of hunting and hounding the youth of Abonnema town. pic.twitter.com/6PbEfG3UR9
— Oraye St. Franklyn (@SaintOraye) March 10, 2019