Elections: How Suspected Hoodlums Snatch Election Materials In Edo, Chase Away INEC Officials

At Oredo Ward 4 unit 42 on Butcher Street, suspected political thugs stole the ballot boxes and voting supplies before chasing away the poll officials, who had taken refuge in a home on Lagos Street.

When the officials were settling up for the day’s work, one of the security personnel assigned to the unit said that the attackers arrived with a gun to take the voting papers.

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He added that it was startling that the cops showed up and detained two individuals in the home where they had sought refuge from the thugs.

He said, “I am one of the security officials who were at the unit. As the officials were getting ready to commence voting, the boys who were armed stormed the polling unit and made away with voting materials.

“The officials took to their heels and took cover at the popular Osula house on Lagos Street. Surprisingly, the police came and took away Kelvin Adu and Idogbowa Osula who were protecting us and the polling officials from being attacked,” he added.

However, representatives of the Independent National Electoral Commission showed up at the voting location of Governor Godwin Obaseki, who promised that the matter would be investigated.

Obaseki said, “We need to reconfirm that story. It doesn’t make sense to snatch a ballot box that doesn’t have ballot papers in it. We will check that and verify. But I am confident because we made adequate preparations to ensure that every polling unit has at least five security personnel.

“It is too early to make any conclusive statement, two hours into voting. We are going to go round and see what is going on across the state,” he added.

While the voting was taking place, security personnel were heavily deployed at Benin City’s Third Junction and the Upper Sakponba axis to preserve law and order.

The operatives made up of soldiers and police patrolled the area to deter troublemakers. The axis is known for its notoriety.