Governoship/State Assembly elections: House of Reps member Tope Sugar, police sergeant shot dead, 11 others killed.
The member of the House of Representatives from Lagelu/Akinyele (Oyo State) Temitope Olatoye was last night shot by suspected thugs amid the tension that followed the governorship and state assembly elections.
Sugar, as he was popularly called, was confirmed dead soon after he was rushed to the University College Teaching Hospital, Ibadan for treatment.
He was one of the 13 Nigerians that lost their lives in the violence sparked by the elections in some parts of the country.
Six people were killed by gunmen in Rivers State with two of them beheaded.
A suspected ballot box snatcher was shot to death by soldiers as he was making away with the box from a polling unit in Ikot Udo Ossiom village, Ukanafun council of Akwa Ibom State, while an election observer was killed , allegedly by a police stray bullet at Umuida community, Enugu Ezike, Igbo-Eze north local government area of Enugu State.
A gang of gunmen allegedly working for some parties also rained bullets on polling units in Ughelli South local government area killing a man.
Two others were killed at Oba-Akoko, headquarters of Akoko Southwest local government area of Ondo State in the aftermath of an attempt by hoodlums to snatch a ballot box.
Olatoye who was the senatorial candidate of the African Development Party (ADP) in Oyo Central in last month’s election was attacked by a band of thugs at Elesu village in Ward 13, Lalupon, Lagelu Local Government Area of the state where he had gone to vote.
A bullet was said to have hit him in the eye and was subsequently rushed to the hospital only to die moments after arriving the UCH.
Spokesman for the Nigerian Police, Mr. Frank Mba said last night that the force had commenced investigation into the matter.
The alleged ballot box snatcher in Akwa Ibom State, according to eye witnesses, had already taken hold of the box and was running away with it when soldiers opened fire on him.
The incident happened at Ikot Udo Ossiom village in Ukanafun Local Government area.
It was gathered that the suspect made his first attempt in the morning but was resisted by soldiers.
He returned later in the day and this time almost succeeded in his mission until the soldiers shot him.
Two killed in Ondo for alleged ballot box snatching
Another attempt to snatch ballot boxes at Oba-Akoko, headquarters of Akoko Southwest local government area of Ondo State also claimed two lives.
Community sources said some hoodlums had stormed the community with a view to snatching ballot boxes.
The development sparked a protest by youths, which soon got out of hand with youths destroying property including a police station and vehicles, estimated at million of naira.
Two persons were shot to death in the ensuing melee.
A third person hit by bullets was rushed to the hospital for treatment.
The police subsequently arrested 21 persons for alleged breach of peace.
A ballot box was however snatched at Araromi Area, Agbaluku, Arigidi-Akoko which led to disruption of election in the area.
The Police Area Commander for Ikare-Akoko, Razak Rauf, an Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) who led a contingent of police to the town to make peace, described the destruction of police property as barbaric.
He said investigation had commenced while culprits would be arrested and brought to book.
Six killed in Rivers, two of them beheaded
Six people were killed by gunmen in Khana (Ogoni) Local Government Area of Rivers State, during the elections.
Two of the victims were beheaded.
One of the victims, Micheal Abedinigo, from Upatabo, was stabbed to death at Akinima, headquarters of Ahoada West LGA of Rivers State by thugs.
Reports from Buguma and Isiokpo said thugs went on the rampage throwing dynamites into people’s homes and cars.
The development scared a lot of people from going out to vote.
The Chief Security Officer (CSO) of Khana LG council, Letam Kinee, speaking on a radio programme in Port Harcourt described the killing of innocent persons as sad and shocking.
Kinee called on security agencies to apprehend and prosecute the killers, in order to serve as a deterrent to other criminals.
‘Election observer’ shot dead in Enugu
A man described as an election observer was allegedly killed by a stray bullet from a policeman at Umuida community, Enugu Ezike, Igbo-Eze north local government area of Enugu State.
The victim whose name was given as Osondu Odu was hit in the head by a bullet from a police officer stationed close to the residence of a politician in the area.
Ebere Amarizu, spokesman of the Enugu police command, confirmed the incident to journalists.
He attributed it to “accidental discharge”.
The man was said to have had a confrontation with the policeman at a polling unit metres away from Eze’s residence.
However, police spokesman, Frank Mba said last night that that the victim was not an election observer.
A Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) agent was similarly shot dead by suspected thugs in Eziama Obire in Nkwerre local government area of Imo State.
Gunmen open fire on polling unit in Delta
Gunmen also swooped on polling units in Ughelli South local government area of Delta State leaving one man dead.
Several other people were wounded.
The dead man was attacked at Iwhrekan community.
PDP decries killings, violence, ‘militarisation of elections’
Reacting to the situation last night, the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) condemned what it called the heavy militarisation, violence and killing of innocent Nigerians during the elections. The National Publicity Secretary of the party, Kola Ologbondiyan blamed the development on alleged desperation by the All Progressives Congress (APC) in the elections.
He said:”The world watched with utter horror as soldiers under the command of the Buhari Presidency, hound, arrest, shoot, terrorise opposition figures and provide cover for APC thugs to unleash violence, kill opposition members, cart away electoral materials and disrupt polls in PDP strongholds, all in the bid to forcefully foist the APC on Nigerians.
“In Rivers, Akwa-Ibom, Cross River, Delta, Bayelsa, Kogi, Benue, Imo, Abia, Ebonyi, among others, soldiers brazenly aided APC thugs to unbridle violence, hijack electoral processes and write fictitious results for APC candidates.
“In Rivers State, soldiers invaded INEC office in Bori, beat up and chased away PDP agents and assisted the APC in ballot stuffing and writing of results. The scenario was the same in Akwa-Ibom where security agents provided cover for APC thugs in their bid to hijack the electoral process.
“In Imo State, APC thugs, accompanied by security agents disrupted polls in PDP strongholds and reportedly killed a PDP agent in Umudo/Umuwala area of Owerri.
“In Ebonyi State, APC thugs aided by security agents, burnt down INEC facility in the state, seeing that their party did not have any foothold in the state.
“In Ajaokuta, Kabba/Bunu, Olamaboro, Ijumu and several other local governments in Kogi State, APC thugs, assisted by soldiers invaded polling units and carted away ballot materials, a development which sparked off restiveness in some areas and resulted in mass destruction of property in the area.”
The party regretted that in many other states, the APC, in connivance with INEC, orchestrated the deliberate diversion of electoral materials meant for certain areas to unknown destinations, resulting in the frustration of electoral processes in the affected areas.
Nation
