Assembly polls: Thugs invade polling unit in Onitsha, destroy ballot boxes, snatch handsets of voters

 Michael Ovat

Some suspected armed thugs have invaded a polling unit at Metu Memorial Primary School in Odoakpu in Onitsha South Local Government Area of Anambra State.

The thugs invaded the area as voting was going on at about 11:21 am, scattered ballot boxes and snatched a lot of handsets belonging to the electorate.

One of the voters, who identified himself as Mr Chibuzor Ekene, said, “There was a general voter apathy, the turnout was not much as Independent National Electoral Commission officials reported on time.

“Voting started as early as about 8:00 am and everything was going smoothly and peacefully, but all of a sudden, some armed thugs moved in with tricycles, otherwise called Keke, and started attacking many polling centres at Metu Memorial School in Odoakpu Ward 7, Onitsha.

“They snatched and destroyed many ballot boxes, the people were scared. Telephones were snatched.

“The bad boys left before security could arrive at the scene, voting stopped thereafter as INEC officials stopped further work and they left around noon.

Members of the community were seen coming out with dogs from their various houses as they chased the thugs away.

It was gathered that the reason for the invasion by the thugs was because one of the two rival parties was allegedly leading.

Similarly at Awada Primary School, Idemili North Local Government Area of the state, armed thugs invaded the place and carted away money and telephones from voters.

Journalists and observers covering the election were among those attacked in the area as many voters were heavily wounded and windscreens of vehicles were smashed by the thugs.

One of the victims, Mr Alloytius Attah, said that the thugs forcefully snatched N3,000 and also dragged his telephone from him.

He said, “The thugs, suspected to be from the Obosi community, forcefully collected the sum of N3,000 that I had on me. They dragged my telephone until I started mentioning names of prominent Obosi men before my telephone was returned to me.”

Contacted for comments, Police Public Relations Officer, Anambra State Command, DSP Tochukwu Ikenga’s phone number was switched off as of the time of filing this report.

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