Rivers LG election: 50 suspected thugs arrested, INEC staff kidnapped, released

A group of boys numbering about 50, suspected to be political thugs have been arrested by security agents in Ulakwo Ward 13 for allegedly trying to disrupt the election.

The News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) reported that the boys were seen sitting on the ground on Saturday, surrounded by some military men and policemen, and they were said to have been arrested from different units of the Ward.

Meanwhile, the Independent National Electoral Commission (INEC) said on Saturday that one of its staffers kidnapped during the legislative elections in Etche had been released.

The South South National Electoral Commissioner in charge of Edo, Bayelsa and Rivers, Mrs May Agbamuche-Mbu, made this known while speaking to newsmen in Etche after monitoring the election.

She said the staffer was attacked and kidnapped while on the way to supply election materials to some polling centres, adding that some members of staff attacked and injured during the election had been taken to the hospital.

She decried the increasing incidence of election violence in Rivers.

“Thankfully, they have been released; some were injured and we will take care of them, and it has happened again and again (elections) yet Rivers state is boiling.

“We have decided that where elections are peaceful, we will collate results there; where there is violence, we will collate results at the INEC headquarter here in Etche,” she said.

Agbamuche-Mbu stated that INEC had always spoken of the need to take election violence seriously.

“We are thankful that some of the thugs have been arrested. These young men are sent out to disrupt the election and we must get those who are behind them,” the commissioner said.

She added that the election would be concluded because INEC had collated a significant percentage of the results.