The police in Akwa Ibom has on Saturday, January 25, 2020, confirmed the arrest of some persons who allegedly hijacked election materials during the rerun election in Essien Udim local government area.
Prince Ukpong Akpabio, a chieftain of People Democratic Party, PDP, and Commissioner for Trade and Investment, had said election materials were recovered from the residence of an APC chieftain.
The materials, according to Akpabio, were meant for six units in Akpautong in the Appeal Court ordered re-run election in Essien Udim council area.
He said all the hoodlums who carted the election materials were arrested and were being detained at the State Police Headquarters, Ikot Akpan Abia, Uyo
But the Police public relations officer, PPRO, Nnudam Fredrick told journalists at the collation centre in Essien Udim Local Government Area, LGA, that some arrests have been made in connection with electoral malpractices in the area.
He, however, did not state if they were recovered in the home of a politician.
Police spokesperson said all the hoodlums who carted the election materials were arrested and were being detained at the State Police Headquarters, Ikot Akpan Abia, Uyo
Akpabio also alleged that INEC ad-hoc staff, including an Electoral Officer, were caught thumb printing in the home of the APC chieftain, whose name he declined to mention.
His words “It took the strength of the Nigeria Police to recover the stolen materials in the politician’s house. ”
“The Ad- hoc staff, including one of the Electoral Officers assigned to the area, who were abducted with the materials were forced to thumb-print the ballot papers instead of the voters.
“Those arrested were too many. The police had to call for prison van to ferry them to the state police headquarters.”. He said.
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